From Brussels to Naples, via Bolzano, Florence and Rome. A Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, running exclusively on hydrogen, covered nearly two thousand kilometres. The reason? To demonstrate that the technology is ready. And to promote the imminent arrival of a new model in 2018.

The initiative was organised by H2IT, the Italian Association for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, on the occasion of the European fuel cell conference, which brought together the worlds of research, industry and the public sector to exchange and share experiences and research findings on the great theme shaping tomorrow's mobility: hydrogen.

From Brussels to Naples: the tour's stops

After departing from Brussels, the Hyundai ix35 fuel cell crossed Germany and Austria, refuelling at two of the approximately 100 hydrogen filling stations within European borders, arriving in Italy on 7 December. The car reached Naples on 12 December, the day on which the European Fuel Cell Technology & Applications Piero Lunghi Conference got under way.

In Italy, the only active station open to the public is the one located on the edges of the A22 Brenner motorway, near Bolzano. This is home to Italy's first and only public hydrogen filling station, built by the Institute for Technological Innovations (Iit). To date, eleven Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles are in circulation in Bolzano, which together with the fuel cell buses helped reach the significant milestone of one million zero-emission kilometres travelled in South Tyrol in 2017. A few weeks ago, a Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell specially fitted out for the Carabinieri also began operating in the region — the first hydrogen-powered vehicle in service with the Italian police forces.

Hydrogen car sharing

The Korean manufacturer's model is perhaps the one that best represents the state of the art in hydrogen mobility: 136 horsepower and a maximum range of nearly 600 kilometres on a full tank of hydrogen, with emissions limited to water vapour alone. Over the years there have been many initiatives and tests carried out across Europe, so much so that in 2013 Hyundai became the first to begin series production of hydrogen vehicles.

In Munich, BeeZero has been up and running for more than a year — the first car-sharing service using hydrogen-powered cars. Developed in collaboration with Linde, which produces and stores the hydrogen, the service comprises around fifty vehicles available for hire, with a high range.

A new model in 2018

In recent years, hydrogen has claimed an ever-greater share of the energy debate. A recent study, presented at COP 23, revealed that it could be used as an energy carrier and cover a fifth of energy consumption by 2050. With a reduction of approximately 20 per cent in CO2 emissions compared to current levels.

With this in mind, Hyundai has planned to launch a new model at CES 2018: a next-generation SUV which, according to the Seoul-based carmaker, will offer a range of up to 800 kilometres. The same brand will also launch in Italy the first electric version of the Hyundai Kona, which will become the first electric SUV in the B segment to be produced in series.