Even though the plug-in electric cars are getting more and more popular these days, some companies still believe in the hydrogen fuel cell technology to be a more convenient solution. Hyundai has developed a new system based on a Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle which gives a range of 650 km and doesn’t take 12 hours to recharge!

Hyundai’s third-generation FCEV is equipped with a 100-kilowatt fuel cell system and two hydrogen storage tanks (700bar). The SUV can travel 650 kilometers on a single charge – a range equal to a gasoline-powered car. It can start in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. By comparison, the old ix35 FCEV only maanged 370 km.

They’ve also managed to downsize the whole fuel cell package by 20 percent via modularization of key components, which essentially makes the car lighter and more efficient. Hyundai plans to make a limited supply of the Tucson ix FCEV in 2012 and begin mass production in 2015.

Comparison of new Tucson ix FCEV (3rd generation) and Tucson FCEV (2nd generation)