SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Can you imagine driving a car that doesn't pollute the air? It sounds like a tale from the future. But Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI), along with its partner Quantum Technologies Worldwide, Inc., are bringing the future a little closer with major advancements in the world of fuel cells and cutting edge technology that could power the cars of tomorrow. They are doing this by filling the hydrogen storage tank of a fuel cell powered Hyundai Sante Fe to store the clean hydrogen fuel at the never before reached level of 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
Until now, no automobile manufacturer has been able to fill a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle tank to more than 3,600-psi.
The fuel system developed for the Sante Fe meets the challenging packaging requirements for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. While increasing the travel distance with more hydrogen in the same space, the vehicle maintains maximum safety conditions and allows for minimal intrusion into the cargo and passenger areas of the Sante Fe. The hydrogen tank is tucked up, out of the way so the Sante Fe maintains its 8.1 inches of ground clearance.
"Hyundai is very proud of the achievement it has made with Quantum Technologies in the way of fuel cell technology advancement," said Dr. Young Woo Kim, president of HATCI. "With the success of the Sante Fe, it made sense for Hyundai to adapt its hot-selling crossover sport-utility to the cutting edge world of energy efficient fuel cell vehicles. By filling our hydrogen tank to 5,000-psi and increasing range, it brings us that much closer to producing a vehicle that meets the standards of our customers."