Hyundai Nexo

FIRST DRIVE Mk2 Nexo is a fire showcase for hydrogen fuel-cell tech, but poor infrastructure will hamper its chances in the UK

- Tomas Hirschberger

HYDROGEN has long been considered a beacon of hope for clean mobility, because fuel-cell cars emit zero emissions like an EV, but take just five minutes to fill up, and offer longer ranges. However, that hope for hydrogen has produced little to no progress in the real world, especially when it comes to infrastructure.

Five years ago, there were about a dozen public hydrogen filling stations in the UK, but today there are six. There are around 100 hydrogen stations in Germany, but 20 of these are being dismantled. It seems that fuel-cell cars don't really stand a chance.

Despite this, Hyundai is rolling out the Mk2 Nexo. The maker says it is working on a sales strategy which, when defined, will enable dealers to place factory orders for interested buyers – likely allowing the company to assess consumer suitability on a case-by-case basis. The SUV will arrive in Europe in Q2 2026, priced from around 68,000 Euros (£59,000). As it stands, the Toyota Mirai is the only other fuel-cell model around.

The reasons are that Hyundai can afford to, and it wants to showcase its 27 years of fuel-cell expertise to the public. The Koreans also have more than 1.37 billion miles of road experience, and it sees the Nexo as a rolling research lab, making the whole subject of fuel cells viable for the future.