Hyundai Canada has revealed that the Tucson hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, or FCEV, will be the first mass-produced vehicle of its kind to make its way to Canada.
Early next year, the Tucson FCEV will become available exclusively in Vancouver for three-year leases. The residents of Vancouver will get first dibs on these vehicles because they have more hydrogen fueling stations than any other area in the country. The stations were originally built due to a hydrogen initiative the province focused on during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
According to Don Romano, the President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., Hyundai has “surpassed the tipping point in fuel cell technology development and that it’s ready to be driven by customers.” He said the company is targeting consumers who want to pioneer a zero-emissions automotive future.
Romano added that Hyundai was the first automaker to mass produce fuel cell vehicles and delighted in the fact that it will be the first to bring them to the Canadian market. He said that it’s time to stop just talking about this opportunity and start planting the seeds for the future new segment.
Fuel-cell technology uses hydrogen gas combined with the inflow of oxygen to produce electricity. This results in a vehicle that only emits pure water vapour.
Hyundai will be footing the bill for all refuelling and maintenance needs for the duration of the three-year lease for a $599 fee. Refuelling should take only about five minutes and is projected to last 426 kilometres. This number is quite substantial when compared to many other electric vehicles.
Hyundai began mass-producing the Tucson FCEV back in 2013 with sales throughout Europe and South Korea. The fuel-cell vehicle became available in California earlier this year.
Since the charging infrastructure to support the mass production of these vehicles nationwide is not yet developed, Canadian buyers can enjoy the environmentally-friendly option of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid in the meantime.
Toyota has also recently launched its contribution to the new segment, the Toyota Mirai, which will launch in Northeastern United States and California.