After debuting at the last Paris Motor Show, Hyundai’s latest ecologic initiative had its production started at the South Korean plant. These pictures may show only a slightly redesigned version of this famous crossover, but the truth is this release earns huge importance simply by remembering of its historical context. This ix35 won’t even be offered to the public right now, but this article will show why it can be seen as part of the car industry’s next big step towards the non-pollutant vehicles.
You’ve certainly seen lots of “green” cars being showed in the past few years. Existing vehicles receiving versions with one of the new propulsions, their automakers creating whole new models, to work with electric or hybrid projects from the project’s beginning, and even whole new companies being founded, relying exclusively on the sales appeal of producing only petrol-free transportation. Unfortunately, there are so many difficulties on establishing such big changes into the public’s habits that only some of those pioneers achieved true success. The bright side of all those attempts is that people actually started to get used to these two new kinds of car a little more, while the companies began to offer better-looking and more capable vehicles at smaller prices. In other words, introducing new technologies depends very much on the public acceptance, but also on how good are the offered vehicles: both sides need to get closer, in order to meet at the halfway called good sales. This is what first happened to hybrid propulsion, what is happening to electric vehicles and now is about to start with the hydrogen systems. There aren’t so many concrete results concerning this technology, like Honda FCX Clarity, but that’s just a matter of time.
Fuel Cell’s exclusive front fascia features a bigger, single-element grille whose imponent design has huge resemblance with the bigger brother Santa Fe. Besides, there are minor external changes such as the dark-painted wheels, but the car’s design wasn’t significantly altered. But another fact is these changes do bring once again the “novelty sensation” it’s always nice to have in any car, not to mention it follows Hyundai’s interesting strategy of distinguishing its petrol-free versions with exclusive designs like this one. This crossover actually uses electric propulsion, with a lithium-ion 24-kWh battery, but the new system was given the role of providing the necessary energy by converting hydrogen into electricity and managing to provide interesting a 365-miles range without recharging, along with 12s5 acceleration time from 0 to 60 mph and 100 mph of top speed. The Korean automaker will start offering this car only for companies and government institutions, always in the European market until 2015. The expectations for that time are to have these cars’ production costs lower and the demanded infrastructure improved enough to stimulate offering hydrogen-moved vehicles to the public. Until then, Hyundai will produce 1,000 units of this special ix35.