First UK deliveries of fuel cell Hyundai IX35s

The first new Hyundai ix35 fuel cell vehicles have been delivered to the UK.

Air Products, Hyundai Motor UK and Johnson Matthey, all members of the LHNE consortium, will use the vehicles to demonstrate first-hand how hydrogen fuel cell vehicles operate easily in the real world. This will support the project’s work to create the UK’s first hydrogen powered transport system across London and the South East. The cars will complement the hydrogen powered vans that are already in operation as part of the proiect.

As part of the LHNE project, the Air Products-led consortium will deliver a publicly accessible, state-of-the-art station network which the Hyundai cars will use to re-fuel. This will include Air Products’ SmartFuel stations, which provide fuelling at 350 and 700 bar and include the company’s technology referenced in the SAE J2601 compliant hydrogen fuelling protocol.

To establish a viable and standardized network of refuelling stations, the LHNE project will deliver a new fuelling station in a central London location to complement the existing one in operation at Heathrow airport.

Diana Raine, European business manager (hydrogen energy) at Air Products and LHNE consortium leader said: “We are very excited to be introducing the Hyundai ix35 fuel cell vehicle to our business fleet, so we can demonstrate first-hand the benefits of hydrogen as a transport fuel. Air Products is proud to be leading the LHNE project, which is bringing together all the components necessary to make hydrogen transport possible across London and the South East. We are equally proud of our developing relationship with Hyundai, which now covers four continents."

Energy storage company ITM Power has also taken delivery of their first IX35 fuel cell model.

ITM's Hyundai ix35 will be used as a commuter vehicle, covering the 158 miles from Sheffield to London using the cleanest fuel possible, hydrogen.  Because the vehicle has a range of 369 miles, it will mean it will only require one tank of hydrogen to make this round trip.

The vehicle refueller will be located on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The site is very close to exit 33 of the M1 junction with the M18 and will be an important part of the UK hydrogen infrastructure roll out. Planning permission for the site has been granted and the commissioning process is now underway.

Graham Cooley, CEO at ITM Power added: “We are delighted to be one of the first to run a fuel cell vehicle on the roads in the UK. This move helps to highlight that the motor manufactures are serious about rolling these vehicles out, which in turn signals the growing demand for hydrogen refuelling stations”

Tony Whitehorn, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK, said: “Making the first UK customer deliveries of hydrogen-powered cars is a huge landmark for the industry. Hyundai is the first company in the world to start series-production of a fuel cell vehicle and is committed to rolling-out this technology in line with government plans to grow the refuelling infrastructure.”