Hyundai’s next hydrogen fuel-cell SUV previewed

Hyundai has unveiled a new concept car that will form the basis of a successor to the Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) SUV.

Dubbed the Initium concept – a Latin word for beginning, or first – the concept will preview a production model that will launch globally in the first half of 2025.

It’s unclear at this stage whether it will bear the Nexo name, or if/when it will come to Australia, where the current Nexo continues to be available only to fleets on a lease basis.

Hyundai claims the Initium concept is fitted with a new-generation FCEV powertrain comprising “large hydrogen fuel tanks”, a higher-output fuel-cell stack, a battery pack with “enhanced” capacity, and an electric motor producing 150kW of power.

For context, the existing Nexo incorporates a hydrogen fuel tank capable of storing 6.33kg of compressed hydrogen, a 95kW hydrogen fuel-stack, 1.56kWh battery pack, and a 120kW electric motor.

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Hyundai claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.0 seconds, and 80-120km/h acceleration in 6.0s, and is currently targeting a range of more than 650km with the production version of the Initium concept between refills. The Nexo offers 666km of range, according to WLTP testing.

Perhaps more importantly, the Initium concept debuts a new design language for Hyundai, called ‘Art of Steel’.

According to SangYup Lee, executive vice president of Hyundai and Genesis global design, this design theme embodies the character of the company’s HTWO hydrogen value chain business brand, and also pushes steel formability into art.

With the Initium concept in particular, Hyundai has opted for an overtly SUV-like exterior design with bold lines and creases. It’s rather Pontiac Aztek-like.

Design elements include ‘+’ sign motifs in the lighting, large 21-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in low-rolling resistance tyres, and a roof rack.

At this stage Hyundai hasn’t detailed the SUV’s exterior dimensions, though the outgoing Nexo is Tucson-sized.

While Hyundai hasn’t shown any imagery of the Initium’s interior, it claims the production version will be spacious enough to offer a large living room-like space in the second row. The rear doors are claimed to open wide for easy ingress and egress, and there are reclining rear seats.

Other highlight features of the Initium concept include a FCEV-specific route planner for the satellite navigation, as well as an exterior vehicle-to-load (V2L) port that’s designed to connect directly to a 220V household outlet.

On the safety front, Hyundai claims the Initium concept has been developed to achieve “top-tier” collision and driving safety performance globally. It features a reinforced multi-skeleton structure at the front, a side body structure, as well as nine airbags.

Hyundai has now been working and developing hydrogen fuel-cell technology for 27 years. Its latest FCEV passenger vehicle, the Nexo, was first revealed in 2018 and arrived in Australia in 2020.

A select few Hyundai Nexos have been made available to Australians through lease agreements for government fleets, though it’s not available to private buyers.

As it currently stands, there are nine hydrogen refueling stations around Australia, which much fewer than in regions likes South Korea, Europe and the US.

MORE: Everything Hyundai Nexo