Hyundai launches new hydrogen fuel cell SUV  

Hyundai unveiled the second generation of its hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), the NEXO sports utility vehicle (SUV), at the Seoul, South Korea Mobility Show last week. The FCEV boasts an ‘improved powertrain with greater efficiency and durability’ than the previous model, ‘featuring a new motor system and high-efficiency inverter’, reports the South Korean auto manufacturer.  

The hydrogen FC stack now delivers maximum gross power of 110 kW, a 16% increase, while the new electric motor provides up to 150 kW. The FC stack is also said to feature improved low-temperature operability and durability enhancements. The ‘Wake Up’ stack anti-freezing function and other system optimisations ‘enhance low-temperature drivability and ease of starting year-round’, says Hyundai.

The FCEV’s battery power has been doubled to 80 kW, while the e-motor is more powerful, with an output of 204 bhp. This allows the NEXO to accelerate from 0–100 km/h in 7.8 seconds, much quicker than the first-generation model’s 9.2 seconds, reports the carmaker.

Meanwhile, technological advances allowing liquid hydrogen to be stored at a higher density mean the fuel tank’s capacity has been increased to 6.69 kg – a 360 gramme improvement over the previous model. As a result, the NEXO targets more than 700 km of range from a five-minute refill, says Hyundai.  

Although Hyundai reports that the NEXO FCEV will be coming to global markets later this year, Auto Express claims the company has no intention of bringing the car to the UK, due to the lack of a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.  

According to H2’s Hydrogen Tools database, as of August 2024 there were seven hydrogen refuelling stations in England, two in Scotland and one in Wales.

Toyota develops new fuel cell system for commercial sector

Earlier this year, Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota announced a third-generation fuel cell system designed to meet the needs of the commercial sector. Unveiled at the H₂ and FC EXPO in Tokyo earlier this year, the new system is claimed to offer the ‘same durability as conventional diesel-powered engines’. The ‘maintenance-free’ system is also reported to deliver a 1.2 times improvement in fuel efficiency, a 20% increase in cruising range and a ‘significant’ reduction in production costs compared to the second-generation system.  

The third-generation FC system is suitable for installation in a variety of products, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles and general-purpose applications such as stationary generators, trains and ships, says Toyota. The company anticipates introducing it to the global market, principally in Japan, Europe, North America and China, post-2026 at the earliest.

Ricardo hydrogen fuel cell module technology reaches full power

Meanwhile, Ricardo reports that its new high-powered, multi-stack hydrogen FC module technology has reached a sustained maximum 393 kW of net electrical power just three months after the initial development start-up.  

It was initially developed as part of the Sustainable Hydrogen Powered Shipping (sHYpS) Horizon Europe project for the maritime sector, as well as stationary power generation, rail and off-highway applications.

‘By reaching this milestone and completing a full transient ship operation test cycle, our multi-stack hydrogen FC technology demonstrates hydrogen’s potential as a clean energy source,’ says Andy Ennever, Ricardo Global Head of Fuel Cells.

To support the adoption of hydrogen technology, Ricardo has also developed a containerised solution, able to combine multiple FC modules, enabling power output to be scaled up to 3 MW per container, with the DC-DC power conversion on board, ‘without sacrificing efficiency or durability’. When scaled up to incorporate multiple FC modules housed within two bespoke containers, a total net electrical plant output of 6 MW can be delivered. ‘This is sufficient to power a 50,000 tonne, 1,000 passenger cruise ship through important zero-emission mission cycles,’ reports the company.

Bramble Energy unveils new UK-Taiwan electrolyser innovation  

In related news, UK cleantech company Bramble Energy has launched a £1.5mn UK-Taiwan initiative – the POWER project – focused on developing its patented printed circuit board anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser stack technology that aims to ‘slash the cost and complexity of green hydrogen production’.  

The project is being delivered in partnership with Taiwan’s Tripod Technology Corporation and Tripod Nanotechnology Corporation, and co-funded by Innovate UK and Taiwan’s Department of Industrial Technology.

According to Bramble, key milestones so far include demonstrating the PCBEL technology in a 25 kW stack, operating on an alkaline electrolyte made up of 0.1 mol/L KOH (potassium hydroxide) – ‘a significantly less corrosive concentration that simplifies handling, reduces stringent safety requirements and enables a broader range of material choices’.  

It also reports that the technology has achieved Europe’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership 2030 targets for performance and critical raw material content.  

In addition, the electrolyser technology is reported to ‘leverage the high-volume, low-cost printed circuit board supply chain, which has reached an industry-leading volume cost of $200/kW for AEM stacks’. This will result in the cost of AEM electrolyser stacks being ‘further lowered by improving durability and operational flexibility’, according to Bramble.

‘This is more than just an upgrade in technology,’ comments Dr Tom Mason, CEO of Bramble Energy. ‘By combining cutting-edge engineering with a commitment to affordability and sustainability, we’ll be able to push the limits of cost, performance and durability, propelling our electrolyser technology towards large-scale commercialisation.’