Hyundai unveils Initium hydrogen fuel cell EV concept, and a production version’s likely Australia-bound next year

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Hyundai is once again proving to be the hydrogen car flag carrier as the Korean company unveils its Initium fuel cell electric concept vehicle.

The rugged-looking SUV prototype looks adventure-ready with its wide stance and giant roof racks, and previews a production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) set to debut in the first half of 2025.

It appears to be a mid-sized, two-row, five-seat SUV, and Hyundai Australia is eager for the production model to land on our shores as soon as it’s made available.

“We’ll be working on getting that car to Australia as a replacement for Nexo,” said Scott Nargar, Senior Manager of Future Mobility and Government Relations at Hyundai Motor Company. 

The Nexo is Hyundai’s current hydrogen SUV, with a handful in service as fleet cars for government departments.

“If we get the opportunity to take this vehicle (Initium) on, it’ll be a great next step beyond the work Nexo has done for us since 2018,” Nargar said.

Long range and rapid refills

Despite a production version of the Initium only a matter of months away, Hyundai has released only basic details about this concept SUV.

We’re told it has 150kW of power – a chunk more than the Nexo’s 120kW/395Nm – and has an expected driving range of 650km between refuelling.

Unlike battery electric vehicles, FCEV’s can be refuelled at a speed more comparable to pumping petrol or diesel in your vehicle. The Nexo can be fully filled with hydrogen in three to five minutes.

The Initium showcases Hyundai’s new design language “Art of Steel” where designers have “pushed the formability of steel to the extreme to create a form of art,” while incorporating the ‘+’ inspired graphic in the lighting.

These ‘+’ graphics appear on the bumper, headlights and nose. They’re an FCEV-specific design cue, much like pixels for Hyundai’s battery electric cars.

The Initium features aerodynamic 21-inch wheels, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, and an FCEV-specific route planner through the cabin screen.

More will be revealed when the concept is shown to the public at the LA Auto Show and Auto Guangzhou in November 2024.

But where will you fill it up?

That’s the enduring question with hydrogen cars, right?

While Hyundai Australia wants the new SUV as replacement for the ageing Nexo, Australian refuelling stations remain scarce.

There are currently just 12 stations operating or under construction nationally, although work continues to expand their footprint.

In positive recent moves, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland signed an agreement in 2022 to create a “hydrogen super highway” much like the current electric super highway for EVs.

Ampol announced a partnership last year with OneH2 to help speed up the use of hydrogen in passenger and commercial vehicles, and that same year BP opened the first hydrogen refuelling facility at an Australian service station; a truck stop in Port of Brisbane, Queensland.

Slow development has stifled success of the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai FCEVs, with Mr Nagar stating things “had been limited by infrastructure.” 

But Hyundai is at the forefront of helping change things. The brand is heavily invested in the Canberra Hydrogen Refuelling Facility, where the ACT Government runs and refuels a fleet of 20 Nexos.

“Canberra is the blueprint to roll out hydrogen hubs across other states and territories,” said Nargar. “This brings fleet opportunities for buses, trucks, passenger cars and trams, and will hopefully encourage our competitors to bring their products to market.”

Strength in numbers appears key, as sales of Nexos and Toyota Mirais over the past two years have barely troubled the scorers.

Hyundai has been developing hydrogen technology for 27 years, and Hyundai Motor Company boss Jaehoon Chang firmly believes in its future. “We are dedicated to pioneering a future where hydrogen is used by everyone, in everything, and everywhere.”

In Australia, Scott Nargar agrees. “The Initium stamps a footprint that Hyundai continues to back fuel cell technology for passenger vehicles and all segments of commercial.”

As a reminder, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles emit nothing but pure water and a bit of heat, and when charging infrastructure’s in place, refuelling times typically take just a few minutes.