Hyundai Motor’s zero-emission fuel cell engine, which debuted on the 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, has been recognized as the first engine of its kind in the annual Ward’s 10 Best Engines by WardsAuto World.
Hyundai Motor’s Tucson Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicle, has been available in Southern California since June 10th, 2014, when the first retail customer delivery took place. Outside the U.S., the fuel cell program is currently operating in about a dozen European countries, where the vehicle is known as the ix35.
“Hyundai engineers did a stunning job of slipping the most advanced automotive technology imaginable into a roomy family vehicle and making it all very consumer friendly,” said Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of WardsAuto World magazine. “The powertrain is exceptionally quiet and has a range of 265 miles. Plus, it can be refueled in minutes instead of hours like a battery-electric vehicle. The Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell is a great engineering achievement and a giant leap for zero-emissions vehicles.”
Hyundai’s fuel cell effectively replaces the battery pack used in an electric vehicle by generating electricity from hydrogen through an electrochemical process that does not involve hydrogen combustion, with no moving parts within the fuel cell stack. The Tucson Fuel Cell maintains the day-to-day flexibility of the gasoline-powered Tucson so that its driver is able to immediately enjoy the next generation of electric vehicles without range or recharge-time compromises to their lifestyle.
Ward’s 10 Best Engines, announced every December, is the ultimate list that defines the industry’s outstanding powertrains. Since the list began in 1995, Hyundai Motor has been included four times: the Tau V-8 was honored in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the Gamma I-4 in 2012. The award ceremony takes place at a banquet during the North American International Auto Show on January 14, in Detroit.
