{"id":3732,"date":"2026-01-06T03:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3732"},"modified":"2026-01-06T03:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:57:10","slug":"the-next-hyundai-nexo-shows-the-automaker-is-still-going-hard-on-hydrogen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3732","title":{"rendered":"The Next Hyundai Nexo Shows the Automaker Is Still Going Hard on Hydrogen"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The use of hydrogen as a fuel for passenger vehicles in the United States appears to have hit a dead end. Always a niche proposition<\/u> limited almost exclusively to California, in recent years sales of hydrogen-powered cars have all but evaporated. Making matters worse, an already infinitesimally small network of fueling stations has become smaller still<\/u>. In short, hydrogen doesn’t seem to have much of a future here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cruise across the Pacific, though, and it\u2019s a different story. Hyundai is one of the few automakers that has sold a hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered car in America in the form of the Nexo and remains committed to the propulsion system. But the car itself is only one small part of Hyundai\u2019s overall H2 equation. We recently had a chance to travel to South Korea, where we were able take a road trip in a newly updated 2026 Nexo from Seoul to the southern city of Mokpo, learning about the car and what hydrogen power as a whole means to Hyundai along the way.<\/p>\n

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Driving the 2026 Nexo <\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you think the Nexo looks a bit like a Hyundai-fied Pontiac Aztek<\/u>, you\u2019re not alone. And if you think it looks strange in photos, know that it\u2019s not one of those cars that makes sense when you see it in the metal\u2014if anything, the Nexo\u2019s funky proportions and skewed body panels make it seem even stranger.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, Hyundai won’t sell the new Nexo in the United States. That’s fine with us, because it\u2019s a tremendously dull car to drive. Its electric motor (remember, hydrogen combustion<\/u> is a thing, but the Nexo and its contemporaries use hydrogen oxidation in a fuel cell to generate electricity) produces 254 hp, which draws power from a small 2.64-kWh battery. Hyundai says the Nexo can reach 60 mph in 7.8 seconds, but it feels slower, with a power delivery similar to that of a weak front-drive EV.<\/p>\n

Its steering is also slow, as well as light and vague; it takes concentration to aim the Nexo in its intended direction. Meanwhile, the suspension covers ground in a bouncy and reactive manner, traits that contribute to its joyless handling characteristics. There\u2019s simply no verve here. The Nexo drives competently enough, but that isn’t a reason anyone would want it.<\/p>\n

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Rather, people might want it for the simple fact that it\u2019s hydrogen-powered, and in that context, Hyundai has made improvements from the outgoing Nexo<\/u>. It\u2019s quicker than the older version, which hit 60 mph in 9.8 seconds, and thanks to fuel cell efficiency gains and a bigger high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank, range increases from approximately 414 miles to about 512 miles on the WLTP cycle (about 20 percent more generous than our EPA ratings on average). Whatever the number, it\u2019s a considerable distance for any vehicle, regardless of fuel source.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the Nexo offers a quiet, uncomplicated driving experience much like that of an EV with the fueling ease of a gas car\u2014provided there\u2019s a hydrogen station nearby, of course. Speaking of, the US has barely 50 stations nationwide at this point<\/u>, as opposed to some 200 in Korea and almost 300 across Europe.<\/p>\n

The Nexo\u2019s cabin isn\u2019t a bad place to be, either, showing Hyundai\u2019s usefully human-centric design approach that combines handy storage spaces with stylish forms. Materials feel premium and features abound, including digital side-view mirrors, dual wireless charging pads, a 360-degree camera, and Hyundai\u2019s first Bang & Olufsen audio system. There are heated and ventilated seats in the front and <\/em>rear, but the underfloor hydrogen tanks cause a significant elevation of the back-seat hip-point, compromising headroom.<\/p>\n

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More Than Cars <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t dismiss hydrogen as unviable for cars just because the Nexo is mundane\u2014recall that the deeply rad N Vision 74 sports car concept<\/u> is powered by the stuff. There\u2019s a half-decent chance Hyundai is working on putting that wedge-shaped rocket into production, along with other hydrogen fuel cell EVs. It\u2019s all part of the automaker\u2019s plan to develop vehicles that use various fuel types, including pure electricity and combustion-based hybrids.<\/p>\n

But Hyundai\u2019s grand hydrogen plans extend beyond cars. As part of its evolving strategy, it created HTWO (a spelled-out version of hydrogen\u2019s element symbol H2). This sub-business is dedicated to expanding hydrogen applications across industries and modalities. HTWO Hyundai\u2019s stated goal is \u201cachieving a hydrogen society,\u201d an extraordinarily lofty ambition to be sure, but one that underscores the company\u2019s commitment to reducing harmful emissions.<\/p>\n

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Open the Nexo\u2019s hood, and you\u2019ll see an HTWO-branded fuel cell, versions of which are being engineered for implementation across a variety of applications. Hyundai cites vehicles that operate within limited areas as ideal candidates, such as trains and trams, city buses, warehouse vehicles like forklifts, and heavy-duty trucks<\/u> in ports or mines. Given the relatively constrained and defined routes these vehicles follow, setting up fueling infrastructure for them is simpler than replacing public gas stations with hydrogen stations for passenger cars.<\/p>\n

Non-vehicle power generators and industrial equipment are other applications that could run on hydrogen rather than fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

HTWO wants to control the entire hydrogen ecosystem, from production and transport to refueling and end use. It\u2019s investing in related facilities in Korea and Indonesia, as well as the United States. In Savannah, Georgia, it\u2019s building an HTWO hydrogen production and refueling facility for its Xcient fuel cell trucks to support its massive Metaplant<\/u> vehicle factory.<\/p>\n

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Hydrogen Pie in the Sky? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

America\u2019s transportation and energy sectors are in an odd place at present, as consumer preferences reshape once-certain automaker plans<\/u> and shaky regulatory frameworks leave unclear how society will be powered in the coming years.<\/p>\n

Yet across the globe, the goal of dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains a top priority. And while the 2026 Nexo won\u2019t be fundamentally changing anything on its own, it\u2019s another rolling sign of Hyundai\u2019s broader vision for the future\u2014one where hydrogen is central to all of life\u2019s energy needs.<\/p>\n

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