Alternative-fuel vans are all the go right now – and
here’s another: the Hyundai H350 Fuel Cell Concept. That’s right, this big bus
runs on hydrogen. The Hyundai H350 has been around for nearly two
years, but this is the first version we’ve seen without the trusty 2.5-litre
turbo diesel engine seen in the production versions.
The new H350 model is said to offer a glimpse into
the future of Hyundai‘s light commercial range, but unlike the plug-in
Volkswagen e-Crafter, the Hyundai model uses a fuel cell that produces its own
electricity on board.
The fuel-cell stack and 175-litre hydrogen tank
(which can be filled in four minutes) are teamed to an electric motor and
battery bank, with the drivetrain offering a claimed 422 kilometres of driving
range. Compare that to the 200 km of electric range and 45 minute charge time in
the electric VW, and the fuel-cell H350 seems to make sense.
That is, if you can fill it up. Hydrogen is still in
its infancy as a mainstream fuel, but you can plug in to a powerpoint just
about anywhere. The H350 Fuel Cell Concept’s drivetrain components are
“intelligently packed in such a way that its installation has no impact on the
H350’s load area”, with all the main components under the floor of the vehicle.
The H350 is sold in varied wheelbase derivatives,
with capacities of 10.5 or 12.9 cubic metres, and it can be had as a 14-seat
bus, too.
