Hyundai is gearing up to launch the 2019 Nexo at two
southern California dealerships later this year and the automaker has released
new details about the US-spec model. Billed as a “culmination of our
cutting-edge technologies,” the Nexo picks up where the Tucson Fuel Cell left
off. However, the company’s latest FCV features more advanced technology and a
more distinctive design.
Hyundai will offer two
versions of the Nexo called the Blue and Limited. The Blue is the base model
and it will ride on 17-inch alloy wheels. The Nexo Limited, on the other hand,
will come equipped with 19-inchers. Hyundai was coy on additional features but
confirmed the Limited variant will also have a sunroof, a power liftgate and remote
smart parking assist.
Other amenities include heated / ventilated front
seats, a wireless smartphone charger and a 12.3-inch infotainment system with
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Customers can also order a Krell premium audio
system which features an eight-channel amplifier, special speakers and a
“custom-developed live dynamic algorithm for superior audio performance.”
The big news is the Nexo’s fuel cell powertrain
which produces 161 hp and 394 Nm of torque. It
enables the crossover to accelerate from 0-96 km/h in 9.5 seconds.
That’s not great, but it’s a significant improvement over the Tucson Fuel Cell
which required 12.5 seconds to hit 96 km/h.
The powertrain will enable the entry-level Nexo Blue
to have an estimated driving range of 611 km. The company also says
the crossover has an estimated MPGe rating of 65 city, 58 highway and 61
combined. The larger wheels and added luxury mean the Nexo Limited has an
estimated range of 569 km. Unsurprisingly, the model also has a
lower MPGe rating of 59 city, 54 highway, and 57 combined.
The eco-friendly design extends beyond the
powertrain as Hyundai says the Nexo uses “soybean-oil based polyurethane paint,
bamboo-thread-based bio fabric, bio-plastic extracted from sugar cane and
bio-carpet extracted from sugar cane.” The company says these green initiatives
helped to reduce CO2 emissions by 11.7 kg during the manufacturing
process.
The Nexo will be offered
with an assortment of driver assistance systems including forward
collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning, high beam assist and
remote smart parking assist. The crossover can also be equipped with a
blind-spot view monitor, surround-view monitors and rear cross-traffic
collision-avoidance assist. While those systems are pretty familiar, the Nexo will also be
offered with a new lane following assist system. It automatically helps to keep
the Nexo centered in its lane at speeds up to 144 km/h.
Besides the lane following assist system, the Nexo
will have a new blind-spot collision-avoidance system. If the driver activates
their turn signal and the system detects a vehicle is in their blind spot, the
Nexo will “provide steering correction” to prevent a collision.
