Hyundai Australia Says Hydrogen Cars Aren't Dead, but Admits It First Has to Find Customers

Hyundai still sees a future for hydrogen passenger cars, but says demand is the problem.

«[Hydrogen isn't] dead for passenger vehicles,» Scott Nargar, Hyundai Australia's senior manager of future mobility and government relations, told CarExpert. «We're still under evaluation for the next generation fuel-cell car. The biggest thing is you've got to find is customers.»

Where the Nexo stands

CarExpert reports that the hydrogen Nexo received Australian Design Rule certification in 2025, with a launch planned for 2026. It has not appeared yet. CarExpert says it isn't clear whether the car under evaluation is the current Nexo or a new, unrevealed model.

InsideEVs puts the second-generation Nexo's range at about 435 miles on a full tank. It uses a 110 kW electric motor and a 2.64 kWh buffer battery.

Cost is the hurdle

«The technology is not as cheap as electric – and even in trucks, there's still a considerable cost over an ICE truck or even an EV truck,» Nargar told CarExpert. He added that fleet interest was strong. CarExpert notes that Hyundai and Toyota both built refuelling stations at their Sydney and Melbourne headquarters and supplied the Nexo and Mirai to fleet customers, including Queensland Police.