Hyundai Nexo hydrogen powered fuel cell electric vehicle 1
Hyundai Nexo hydrogen powered fuel cell electric vehicle 1

Hydrogen power comes to Canberra

Riley Riley

To be deployed later this year the first 20 Hyundai Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have landed in Australia.

Nexo is the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to meet Australian Design Rule (ADR) standards and will be deployed in a variety of roles across several ACT Government departments.

The deployment represents the first use of hydrogen vehicles by any Government anywhere in Australia. 

Nexo offers a range of 666km (WLTP) with a refuelling time of three to five minutes, and emits only water vapour from its exhaust, purifying the air as it drives.

It has a near-silent drivetrain, offering much-reduced external noise which is especially beneficial in urban environments.

It’s also extremely safe, as the first fuel cell electric vehicle to be awarded a maximum five-stars for safety rating by Australia’s ANCAP organisation.

To cater for the deployment of the Nexos, Canberra’s first 700-bar hydrogen refueling station is also set to open in the third quarter.

It will become the first publicly-available hydrogen refuelling station in the country and the only permanent facility of its kind.

The new Canberra station will join the private hydrogen refuelling station at Hyundai Motor Company headquarters in Sydney.

In addition, hydrogen refuellers in Brisbane and Melbourne are expected to be completed by the end of 2020, with stations also planned for NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

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HMCA’s own hydrogen station has been operational since 2015, which coincided with the arrival of the ix35 Fuel Cell – the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to be permanently imported into Australia.

Since its opening, the refuelling station has been available to all automotive brands in a cooperative approach to help accelerate the development of hydrogen FCEVs and infrastructure in Australia.

Hyundai Jun Heo said although hydrogen mobility is not yet a mainstream alternative in Australia, the company’s progressive vision will help the technology play a key role in a low-CO2 motoring future.

“For a long time, hydrogen has been touted as the fuel of the future. However, with the arrival of a fleet of Nexo FCEVs for the Australian Capital Territory Government, we’re pleased to say that it’s now the fuel of today,” he said.

“Nexo is the embodiment of our long-term commitment to introducing hydrogen-powered transport in Australia and around the world,” he said.

“As part of a line-up that includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric models, Nexo underscores our leadership in eco-mobility and our commitment to a sustainable, low-emissions motoring future in this country,” he said.

Nexo, as Hyundai’s second-generation mass produced fuel-cell vehicle, combines clean mobility with the latest autonomous driving capabilities and smart advanced driving assistance systems.

Its introduction follows the release of Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy which was unanimously endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) at the end of 2019.

The strategy acknowledges the important role hydrogen mobility can play in achieving its target of establishing Australia at the forefront of the global hydrogen industry by 2030.

 

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