Hyundai Enters Santa Fe FCEV in California Road Rally

Hyundai Motor Company has entered its state-of-the-art Santa Fe FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) in the three-day California Coast 2002-California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) Road Rally.

Monterey, California – September 6, 2002 [SolarAccess.com] Hyundai’s Santa Fe FCEV will be riding alongside fuel cell vehicles from DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Toyota – all CaFCP members. The Road Rally will demonstrate the capabilities and technology of fuel cell mobility on a 300-mile course along the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey to Santa Barbara. Hyundai’s Santa Fe FCEV is one of the first sport utility vehicles powered by a fuel cell. In a major technology breakthrough, the Santa Fe FCEV was the world’s first drivable vehicle with a fuel system that can store hydrogen compressed up to 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi) from Quantum Technologies Worldwide, Inc., of Cerritos, Calif. The 5,000 psi tank enables the vehicle to go more than 100 miles in one fueling. In addition, the Santa Fe FCEV is built with lightweight, performance- boosting aluminum components, helping to give the Santa Fe performance goals comparable with vehicles featuring common internal combustion engines while still maintaining a power-to-weight ratio similar to that of a small SUV. These features place the Santa Fe FCEV among the most commercially viable fuel cell powered vehicles, while eliminating all emissions except water vapor. Road testing of the Santa Fe FCEV in the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) program has helped Hyundai detect and resolve various technical challenges. The road-testing program, conducted with the assistance of Hyundai’s U.S. research and development center, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., has resulted in the highly refined vehicle that will be on display in Monterey, San Louis Obispo, and Santa Barbara. Hyundai Motor Company became the sixth automotive member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership in June 2000. The CaFCP is a public-private venture of automakers, energy and fuel cell technology companies, and government agencies working together to advance the commercialization of fuel cell-powered vehicles. The partnership is headquartered in West Sacramento, Calif. and over the next few years, more than 60 fuel cell vehicles will undergo road testing in real-world driving conditions. Since joining the partnership, Hyundai Motor Company has been an active participant in the effort to commercialize alternative-energy, environmentally friendly vehicles and helped to set the standard for fuel cell vehicles.