95mph Hyundai hydrogen van has the drop (of water) on diesels and plug-ins

A NEW Hyundai hydrogen van has the drop (of water) on diesels and plug-ins. It’s a 95mph workhorse with 260-mile range that emits only water and can be refuelled in the same amount of time as a conventional diesel LCV .

It has made its debut at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany.

Shown as a concept, the Hyundai H350 Fuel Cell is based on the Korean firm’s new Turkish-built panel van and minibus range, but uses similar technology to that found in the company’s iX35 FCV SUV, the world’s first mass production fuel cell car already on UK fleets.

Unlike a conventional electric vehicle, which takes hours to recharge, the 175-litre hydrogen tank can be filled in less than four minutes – similar to the time it takes to refill a tank of diesel in a conventional van. The H350 Fuel Cell Concept has a total range of 260 miles, and emits only water.

The powertrain is packaged under the van floor, so it has no impact on the load area. Depending on wheelbase, the H350 provides 10.5 m³ or 12.9 m³ of space – sufficient to accommodate five standard European pallets – or room for a 14-seat passenger compartment.

The Fuel Cell driveline also enables near silent operation, making it ideal for night deliveries in urban areas.

The equivalent power output of the engine is 134bhp, enough to give it a top speed of 95mph.

The H350 Fuel Cell’s powertrain is formed of a hydrogen tank, fuel cell stack, high-voltage battery pack, inverter, and electric motor. The 700-bar high-pressure hydrogen tanks, located under the floor of the vehicle between the two axles, store 7.05 kg of compressed hydrogen, which is then broken down into protons and electrons in the fuel cell stack. The electricity produced by the fuel stack is then stored in a compact 24 kW lithium-polymer battery pack, with the inverter converting the energy to an alternating current to power a 100kW electric motor.

Conventional cab of the Hyundai fuel cell van