Hyundai Nexo: 1 of 18 Planned Alt-Fuel Vehicles by Hyundai

With automakers continuing to improve the fuel efficiency of their entire lines, one begins to wonder when alternative-fuel vehicles (EVs, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) will hold a larger portion of the market. It seems several automakers are banking on that time coming sooner rather than later. Hyundai and Kia are both planning close to twenty alternative-fuel vehicles. Toyota is planning 10 new ones, even though their Prius makes them the hybrid vehicle leader in the US market. VW is planning a slew of efficient vehicles, as well.

No one appears to be as interested in the hydrogen-fueled variety of vehicle as Hyundai. The Nexo is Hyundai's hydrogen-fueled replacement for the Tucson Fuel Cell crossover. Just like the Tucson Fuel Cell, the Nexo will initially be available only in California.

The Nexo's range is said to be 370 miles and no, it doesn't take a half hour to charge. It can be topped up in about 5 minutes, giving it a clear advantage over current EVs. The Honda Clarity fuel cell vehicle can go 366 miles on a full load of hydrogen, making it a close runner up in the range contest.

Hyundai decided to start from scratch with the Nexo. It's built on a platform of it's own, designed for efficiency and quietness. Its size makes the Nexo a competitor against Tesla's Model 3, another compact alternative-fuel vehicle with a luxury feel. The two vehicles are only two inches apart in length, the Tesla being 185 inches and the Nexo being 183 inches.

As for technology, the Nexo is scheduled to get a lot of it. Following the rules of a typical luxury tech setup, the Nexo has semi-autonomous driving features and can stay in its lane at high speeds without any intervention by the driver. It also does blind-spot monitoring, 360 degree camera views, remote parking and a retrieval feature, according to NY Daily News. We're assuming "retrieval" means something that functions like a LoJack.

The Nexo might be the best alternative fuel vehicle to show up in many years, but it's not going to be cheap and probably won't even be available in your region. You have plenty of other choices, though. Here are some of the electric-only vehicles on the market. There are many hybrids, in addition. Click to get a free quote for any of these fine vehicles.

Start your alternative-fuel vehicle shopping experience by getting free, no-obligation online quotes from local dealers. You'll save money because dealers offer generous discounts to online shoppers. Click here to get started.