Air Liquide gets the keys to the two first Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles registered in France
- Air Liquide
- Europe
- Clean mobility
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Air Liquide and Hyundai Motor France announce the handover of the keys to the two first Fuel Cell Electric Vehicules (FCEV) registered in France. These hydrogen-powered cars have a range close to 600 kilometres and their only emission is water.
This delivery of two of the first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicles represents an important landmark in the development of the hydrogen energy industry. Highly involved in this field, Air Liquide wanted to be the first to use these vehicles in France. Air Liquide's hydrogen filling stations can fill the vehicles' tanks in under five minutes. This high-performance technology is already safe and available.
The two Hyundai ix35 cars are part of a series of 1,000 vehicles that the constructor will build by 2015 in its factory in Ulsan, South Korea.
Hyundai Motor is the first automobile constructor to mass-produce fuel cell electric vehicles.
Hydrogen energy is an innovative solution that helps to preserve the environment. The creation of a hydrogen distribution infrastructure is one of the main challenges for the commercial launch of fuel cell electric vehicles. Air Liquide is contributing to the emergence of this sector in the transportation industry by supporting the creation of the necessary distribution infrastructures worldwide: the Group has already designed and supplied over 60 hydrogen filling stations around the world.
It is on its site in Sassenage, near Grenoble, that Air Liquide received these first fuel cell electric vehicles registered in France.
For 15 years now, this site, which is dedicated to exploring new markets through technology and innovation, has been designing and developing all the technologies required to roll out this new hydrogen energy industry.
Used in a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to produce electricity, with water as the only by-product. Hydrogen can be produced from various energy sources, including natural gas. With Blue Hydrogen, Air Liquide has undertaken to produce 50 % of its hydrogen for hydrogen energy applications from renewable sources. Hydrogen therefore has huge potential for providing clean energy and guaranteeing the reliability of supply.
Air Liquide is present across the entire hydrogen energy chain, from production, to distribution, high-pressure storage, fuel cells, and hydrogen filling stations.
This vehicle is the third generation of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) designed by Hyundai. Research in this field started in 1998, opening the door to the mass-production of the ix35 with fuel cell.
The ix35 Fuel Cell's performances are similar to its equivalent with an internal combustion engine: a top speed of around 160 km/h, 0 to 100 km in 12.5 seconds and a range of 594 kilometers.