Hydrogen-powered Hyundai fuel cell replacement cost

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【Summary】The owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany received a quote of almost $175,000 to replace its faulty fuel cell. The repair cost is more than three times the amount the owner paid for the vehicle. The car, which had a driving range of 450-500 km, was deemed uneconomical to repair by the car-maker. The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell was produced from 2013 to 2018 and was followed by the Nexo model.

FutureCar Staff Aug 16, 2023 9:20 AM PT

Hydrogen-powered Hyundai fuel cell replacement cost

The owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany is seeking a replacement for his unconventional SUV after receiving a repair quote of nearly 104,000 Euros ($AU175,000) to fix its faulty fuel cell. The German owner, Till Westberg, had driven approximately 84,000 kilometers in the hydrogen-powered vehicle before it failed to start.

After being towed to an authorized workshop, Mr. Westberg was given a quote of almost 104,000 Euros to repair the broken hydrogen fuel cell. This amount is equivalent to $175,000 in Australian currency. To put it into perspective, in Australia, the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is priced from $175,000 plus on-road costs, and the same amount of money can buy a BMW M4 manual or a Porsche 718 Boxster.

Mr. Westberg had purchased the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell for 50,400 Euros in late 2015, which is about 60% of the quoted repair cost when adjusted for inflation. Despite living more than 100 kilometers away from the nearest hydrogen filling station, he chose to buy the hydrogen-powered ix35 because of its 450km to 500km driving range, which made it suitable for everyday use.

While Mr. Westberg believes that Hyundai should take the car back, the car-maker's spokesperson stated that "such a repair no longer makes economic sense," even though the car's five-year warranty has expired. The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell was produced between 2013 and 2018 as Hyundai's third-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle.

Although the hydrogen ix35 was not sold in Australia, Hyundai's local division had one example of the hydrogen SUV in its press fleet to demonstrate the technology. They also installed a hydrogen filling station at their headquarters in Sydney. Following the end of production for the ix35 Fuel Cell, Hyundai introduced the Nexo, which is currently used by government and business fleets in the ACT and Queensland, as well as the Queensland Police.

The Hyundai Nexo and its hydrogen-powered rival, the Toyota Mirai, are not available for private buyers. These zero-tailpipe-emissions vehicles are offered to government and business fleets on multi-year leases.