Hyundai owner faces $175,000 bill for fuel cell replacement

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【Summary】The owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany was quoted $175,000 to replace its faulty fuel cell. The repair cost is more than three times the price the owner paid for the car. Despite the car's five-year warranty being expired, the owner believes Hyundai should take it back. However, the car-maker stated that such a repair is no longer economically viable. The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell was produced between 2013 and 2018.

FutureCar Staff Aug 23, 2023 7:19 AM PT

Hyundai owner faces $175,000 bill for fuel cell replacement

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 repair cost is so astronomical that the vehicle will likely be taken off the road.

Till Westberg, the German owner of the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, had driven approximately 84,000 kilometers before the car failed to start. He took the car to an authorized workshop, where he was given a quote of almost 104,000 Euros to repair the broken hydrogen fuel cell.

For comparison, the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in Australia starts at $175,000, and the same amount of money can buy a BMW M4 manual or a Porsche 718 Boxster.

Mr. Westberg originally 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 far from the nearest hydrogen filling station, he chose the ix35 for its 450km to 500km driving range, which he found suitable for everyday use.

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

In Australia, Hyundai's local division had one example of the hydrogen ix35 in its press fleet to showcase the technology. They also installed a hydrogen filling station at their headquarters in Sydney. After the ix35 Fuel Cell, Hyundai introduced the Nexo, which is currently used by government and business fleets.

The Nexo and its hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai rival are not available to private buyers and are only offered on multi-year leases.

Overall, the repair cost for the faulty fuel cell has left the owner of the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany seeking a replacement, as the repair is not economically feasible.

Jordan Mulach, a Canberra/Ngunnawal native currently residing in Brisbane/Turrbal, joined the Drive team in 2022. He has previously worked for various automotive publications and has a passion for iRacing and cars.