FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 17, 2015 – Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell drivers have again surpassed an impressive threshold, accumulating enough emissions-free miles to reach the lunar surface and return, all while emitting only clean water vapor. A trip from the Earth to the moon and back varies with each lunar orbit, with 477,800 miles as an average round-trip distance. Hyundai has delivered 70 Tucson Fuel Cells since its introduction as the first mass-produced fuel cell in the U.S. market in June 2014.
Tucson Fuel Cell: Hypothetical Moon Rock Souvenir from Lunar Visit
“Surpassing another fundamental stellar threshold gives us a glimpse into the unlimited zero-emissions potential for Hyundai fuel cells,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “If a small fleet of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles can accumulate this kind of mileage in just a few short months, one can only imagine the potential for a zero-emissions hydrogen vehicle future. It took the growing Tucson Fuel Cell owner fleet about 240 days to reach the moon, but only half that for the return trip.”
Hyundai service engineers, with permission from vehicle owners, receive periodic mileage updates from Tucson Fuel Cell vehicles in Southern California, allowing them to calculate cumulative mileage totals as needed to assess fuel cell stack maintenance status.
TUCSON FUEL CELL ADVANTAGES
The Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell CUV has a number of advantages over some other alternative fuels. The energy-rich hydrogen fuel provides an estimated driving range of 265 miles between fill-ups, similar to many gasoline vehicles. Further, both fuel cell driving range and vehicle performance are minimally affected by either extreme hot or cold ambient temperatures, giving owners an extra measure of peace of mind as they go about their day. Even more important for consumers transitioning from gasoline vehicles, the Tucson Fuel Cell can be refilled with hydrogen in about the same time as a typical gasoline vehicle of the same size.
Finally, fuel cell vehicles, due to their compact, relatively lightweight fuel cell stack design, are completely production scalable from very small to very large vehicles, such as urban-focused mini-compact cars all the way to full-size buses and trucks.