Hyundai has announced that its US Tucson Fuel Cell fleet has reached nearly a half million miles in the first year of availability.
The hydrogen-powered crossovers are available exclusively in California, where just 70 examples can be found on the road. State residents have accumulated 475,000 miles, equating to an average of around 6,800 miles per FCV.
“Over the past year, Hyundai’s Tucson Fuel Cell owners are showing the world today that this technology represents the next generation of zero-emissions transportation,” said Hyundai Motor America product-planning VP Mike O’Brien.
The crossovers are only available via lease, fetching $499 per month for 36 months with $2,999 down. The program is likely being subsidized by the company, as the price of fuel-cell technology is still believed to be too high to make a profit from vehicles with price tags close to that of their gasoline-powered counterparts.
The Tucson’s fuel cell delivers enough electricity to power an electric motor with 134 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. The company promises owners can drive for 265 miles on a single tank of hydrogen, though a European-market variant achieved a record 435 miles without refueling.
Hyundai has not yet outlined wider launch plans for the Tucson Fuel Cell.
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