Hyundai is developing a new-and-improved Tucson Fuel
Cell that will have a significantly longer range.Asian publication Nikkei says
that the second-generation Tucson will boast a 30 per cent better mileage than
the current car. This means that the SUV could travel up to 560 km (347 miles)
on a single tank, compared to the 426 km (264 mile) of the existing Tucson Fuel
Cell.
The new model is anticipated to launch in January
2018 and, unless Toyota is planning an update to the Mirai, will boast the
highest range of any current fuel cell production vehicle.
According to Hyundai eco-vehicle development
director Ahn Buyng-ki, the launch of the new Tucson Fuel Cell will coincide
with South Korea hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 2018, providing the
automaker with the perfect place to debut its advanced fuel cell technology.
Although it would be relatively simple for Hyundai
to base the second-gen Tucson FCV around the current car, there's a possibility
that the new model will be built around a dedicated fuel cell platform rather
than one used by an existing vehicle.