Hyundai’s Nexo gaining traction, despite limited hydrogen cell refueling infrastructure

Hyundai Motor’s “all-new” Nexo [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

 
Hyundai Motor’s Nexo, Korea’s only hydrogen fuel cell passenger car, is gaining traction. The model has sold more than 1,000 units per month for the past three months, signaling steady growth in a market constrained by limited charging infrastructure.
 
From June through September, Hyundai sold 3,493 units of the “all-new” Nexo — 1,001 in July, 1,203 in August and 1,289 in September, the company said Tuesday. It was the first time since November 2022 that Nexo sales topped 1,000 units in a single month. The latest version has already surpassed the 727 units sold in its debut year in 2018. 
 
 
Upgrades in performance and design have fueled demand. The new Nexo can travel up to 720 kilometers (447 miles) on a single charge, up 18 percent from the previous model’s 609 kilometers. Its motor output increased to 150 kilowatts, cutting the zero-to-100 kilometers per hour acceleration time to 7.8 seconds from 9.54 seconds.
 
Hyundai also gave the Nexo a new look, replacing the older model’s crossover styling with a design inspired by the Pony, the company’s first car.
 
Government subsidies have also played a significant role. The base Exclusive trim starts at 76.43 million won ($53,400), but after applying the full subsidy available in Seoul — 22.5 million won from the central government and 7 million won from the city — the actual purchase price drops to 47.03 million won.  
 

The interior of Hyundai Motor’s “all-new” Nexo [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

 
In regions offering the maximum subsidy of 37.5 million won, such as Pohang, North Gyeongsang, and Yeosu, South Jeolla, the price falls to 38.93 million won.
 
This places the Nexo in the same price range as hybrid family cars like the Tucson Hybrid, which starts at 32.7 million won, and the Santa Fe Hybrid, priced at 39.64 million won. It also holds its own against electric SUVs like Kia’s EV5, which costs 42.93 million won in Seoul after subsidies.
 
The Nexo is manufactured at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant, which has a production capacity of around 15,000 units per year, or about 1,250 units per month. The entire production quota for this year has already been sold, and customers who place orders now will receive their vehicles in the first half of next year.
 
However, buyers may face delays if local governments have already exhausted their hydrogen car subsidies. In such cases, delivery could be pushed back to February or later.
 
The lack of charging infrastructure remains a significant hurdle. As of Tuesday, Korea had only 231 hydrogen charging stations, far behind the roughly 430,000 electric vehicle chargers across the country. In Seoul, there are only nine hydrogen stations for 3,376 registered hydrogen-powered vehicles.
 
“Nexo offers a high level of satisfaction in terms of quietness and driving performance compared to electric and hybrid vehicles,” said Lee Ho-geun, a professor of future automotive engineering at Daeduk University. “However, the hydrogen charging station shortage persists, and 24-hour charging stations are needed in cities like Seoul, where infrastructure is lacking.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM HYO-SEONG [[email protected]]