It's at least 57 days late, but Hyundai will be bringing the first ix35 Fuel Cell production vehicle to Geneva next week. The SUV, rolled off the line in Ulsan, Korea today, even though Hyundai promised that the ix35would start production by the end of 2012. Still, this is most concrete sign yet that Hyundai remains committed to it stated goal of making and leasing 1,000 hydrogen-powered ix35 vehicles (based on the standard ix35, aka Tuscon) by 2015. That's the year many automakers, like Nissan and Toyota, are planning to launch widespread H2 vehicles.
Hyundai says that ix35 Fuel Cell delivery to European customers is already underway, and the vehicle finished today is one of 17 that will be going to fleets in Copenhagen, Denmark (15) and Skane, Sweden (2). Europe will be the biggest early market for the new ix35, Hyundai says, "in order to prepare the market for mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles" after costs are expected to come down after 2015. At that point, Hyundai plans to offer H2 vehicles for sale.
Differences between the gas- and hydrogen-powered ix35 vehicles include a refreshed radiator grille, bumper and fog lamps. The seven-inch GPS is also exclusive to the hydrogen-powered ix35. It has a top speed of 160 kilometers an hour and (99 miles an hour) and can go 594 kilometers (369 miles) per fill up. With today's production, Hyundai is laying claim to the title of "World's first automaker to launch mass production of Fuel Cell vehicles." We'll get a better look in Geneva, but for now you can see a pre-production from Paris last year.
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