Hyundai Initium hydrogen car revealed

This green machine is pitched toward people who don’t believe in battery-electric power for cars.

Hyundai’s Initium SUV looks ideal for Australia – killer good looks, off-road adventure ready and the promise of 650km range between refuels.

But there’s a problem. You need hydrogen to power it.

Hyundai Initium FCEV Concept. Picture: Supplied

While electric cars can be charged at public chargers or through a home wall socket, a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) like this Initium demands a hydrogen refueller.

And you won’t find one of those in Woolies car park. Not yet, anyway.

Australia has only 12 hydrogen refueller stations operating or under construction, so current hydrogen cars like Toyota’s Mirai and Hyundai’s Nexo are the reserve of urban fleets, typically eco-minded governments.

Hyundai Initium FCEV Concept. Picture: Supplied

But Hyundai is at the forefront of helping change that, and this stylishly rugged-looking Initium concept will soon help lead the charge.

It previews a production fuel cell electric vehicle set to debut in the first half of 2025, and Hyundai Australia has its hand firmly in the air.

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

2021 Hyundai Nexo hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

Its Nexo small SUV has been in production since 2018, and the ACT Government has run a fleet of 20 around Canberra as part of a leasing deal. They have range of 666km and are refuelled at the city’s Canberra Hydrogen Refuelling Facility.

But the new Initium looks to appeal to a wider range of users, including, we hope, private buyers with access to hydrogen refuelling sites.

This medium SUV would sell on looks alone. It features aerodynamic 21-inch wheels, digital side mirrors, Hyundai’s FCEV-specific “+” graphics for bumpers, lights and nose, massive roof racks with LED lighting, and rugged cladding for wheel arches and lower bumpers.

Hyundai Initium FCEV Concept. Picture: Supplied

We’ve not seen pictures of the Initium’s cabin, but are promised it features an FCEV-specific route planner through its screen. Could be a bit boring if it just tells you to keep circulating Canberra.

These hydrogen vehicles drive much the same as EVs, but use a hydrogen tank instead of a battery pack to feed a fuel cell, which creates electricity to drive one or more electric motors.

Benefits are it emits only water, and time to refuel is equivalent to pumping petrol or diesel. A Nexo refills in three to five minutes – a huge advantage over slow charging EVs.

The Initium offers 150kW of power – more than the Nexo’s 120kW/395Nm – and the expected range is 650km between hydrogen top ups.

Hyundai’s Scott Nargar has faith the production version of the Initium will prove more successful than the Nexo (and Toyota’s Mirai) as more hydrogen sites pop up. Sales of hydrogen cars in Australia have barely troubled the scorers since their introduction.

“We’ve been limited by infrastructure, but Canberra is the blueprint to roll out hydrogen hubs across other states and territories,” Nargar said.

“This brings fleet opportunities for buses, trucks, passenger cars and trams, and will hopefully encourage our competitors to bring their products to market.”

Last year the first hydrogen refuelling facility at an Australian retail fuel site was opened by BP at its Port of Brisbane servo at Lytton.

Let’s hope many more follow as we’d love to see this Initium hydrogen beauty silently cruising Aussie streets with just water dripping from the tailpipe.