Almost every week, new battery-electric cars make their debut. The pace is hard to keep up with, yet Hyundai has carved out time to concentrate on another way of powering electric cars: the hydrogen fuel cell, often referred to simply as a fuel cell.
At the Seoul Motor Show (South Korea) today, Hyundai unveiled the new-generation Hyundai Nexo alongside the facelifted IONIQ 6. Rather than relying on batteries that store energy, this second-generation Nexo uses a fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electrical current. The result? Nothing but pure water coming from the exhaust.
It is a system we explained in a video using the first-generation Hyundai Nexo, which is now being discontinued.
Hydrogen technology keeps moving forward
Hyundai has been working on this propulsion technology for more than 25 years. This second-generation Hyundai Nexo not only arrives with a fresh exterior design, but also brings a substantial upgrade to its fuel-cell powertrain.
From a styling perspective, the striking pixel-style headlights look like they belong in a science-fiction film. Then again, we have become used to that visual language after Hyundai’s latest models such as the IONIQ 9, the Santa Fe, and the small electric Inster.
More performance from the Hyundai Nexo
Compared with its predecessor, output has increased. The new electric motor produces up to 150 kW (204 cv), up from 120 kW (163 cv) previously, although torque is now 350 Nm, down from the earlier model’s 395 Nm-still with front-wheel drive. The extra power improves performance: 0–100 km/h now takes 7,8s (previously 9,2s), while top speed rises from 172 km/h to 179 km/h.
The complete system (fuel cell plus the 2,64 kWh battery) that supplies the motor is also more powerful, while the three hydrogen tanks see only a marginal capacity increase, from 6,33 kg to 6,69 Kg.
Hyundai claims a 650 km range, broadly in line with the first Nexo. Refuelling the hydrogen tanks can be completed in just five minutes.
South Korean engineers also highlight improvements to how the system operates in sub-zero temperatures, thanks to a new generation of membranes which, according to the technicians, will enable quicker starts in these conditions.
Modern interior
Inside, the 4,75 m-long Nexo (+8 cm versus before) raises the comfort level and features the familiar control modules and screens (12,3” for both the instrument display and the infotainment screen, mounted side by side) seen in Hyundai’s newest models.
There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces, lots of storage for small items, multi-zone automatic climate control, climate-controlled seats, several USB ports, and two wireless charging trays for mobile phones.
With the rear backrests folded down, luggage capacity grows from 493 litres to 1719 litres. As an option, the Hyundai Nexo can be ordered with digital rear-view mirrors, both exterior and interior.
For anyone planning to lend the Nexo to a large family or a wide circle of friends, the car comes with a digital key that can be shared with up to 15 devices.
How does the fuel cell work?
The fuel-cell system is based on LT (Low Temperature) PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) modules. Individual cells are combined to form a module. In the fuel-cell stack, each membrane sits between an anode and a cathode. Hydrogen flows into the cell at the anode end, while oxygen enters at the cathode end. Hydrogen and oxygen react and combine to form water on the cathode side, releasing energy in the process.
At the anode, hydrogen is split into electrons and protons. The positively charged protons “migrate” through the membrane to the cathode. The negatively charged electrons travel to the cathode via the external electrical circuit. This flow of electrical current provides the required electrical energy. At the cathode, the protons react with incoming oxygen and the electrons to produce “processed water”, most of which exits through the exhaust system.
Energy efficiency (the ability to convert the fuel-hydrogen in this case-into usable energy to drive the wheels) reaches 60%, well above the 40% achieved by the best hybrids on the market or a combustion-engined vehicle (around 30%), even if it remains lower than a battery-electric car (always above 70%, in the worst case).
The fuel cell converts the chemical energy from the oxidation process directly into electrical energy; this oxidation process is also known as “cold combustion”. The “gases” released from the exhaust are nothing more than clean water vapour.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a Comment