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 €104,000 ($175,000) to replace the car's faulty fuel cell. The repair cost exceeds the initial purchase price of the vehicle, which was €50,400 ($111,500) when adjusted for inflation. The owner believes Hyundai should take the car back, but the car-maker stated that repairing it is not economically feasible.

FutureCar Staff Aug 22, 2023 10:05 AM PT

Hydrogen-powered Hyundai fuel cell replacement cost

A German owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 is seeking a replacement for his unconventional SUV after being quoted a staggering 104,000 Euros ($AU175,000) to fix its faulty fuel cell. The repair bill has left the owner in shock and it is likely that the vehicle will be taken off the road due to the exorbitant cost.

The owner, Till Westberg, had driven approximately 84,000 kilometers in the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell before it failed to start. After having the car towed to an authorized workshop, he was given the quote of almost 104,000 Euros to repair the broken fuel cell.

To put the repair cost into perspective, the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in Australia 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 significantly lower than the quoted repair cost. Despite living far from the nearest hydrogen filling station, he chose the ix35 for its impressive driving range of 450km to 500km, which made it suitable for everyday use.

While Mr. Westberg believes that Hyundai should take responsibility for the repair, the car-maker stated that it no longer makes economic sense to fix the vehicle, even though its five-year warranty has expired.

The ix35 Fuel Cell was produced between 2013 and 2018 as Hyundai's third-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle. Although it was not sold in Australia, Hyundai's local division had one example of the hydrogen SUV in its press fleet to showcase the technology and even installed a hydrogen filling station at its headquarters in Sydney.

After 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. Private buyers cannot purchase the Hyundai Nexo or its hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai rival; these zero-tailpipe-emissions vehicles are only available for multi-year leases.

It is worth mentioning that Jordan Mulach, a Canberra/Ngunnawal native currently residing in Brisbane/Turrbal, joined the Drive team in 2022. With experience in various automotive publications, Jordan is known for his passion for racing and can often be found either behind the wheel of his Octavia RS or tinkering with his ZH Fairlane.