Hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo to launch in the UK in early 2019

The Hyundai Nexo is set to launch in the UK sometime in 2019. What is important about this car is that unlike traditional internal combustion engines, the Hyundai Nexo is completely emission-free. The only fumes coming out the tailpipes is water vapour.

Hydrogen fuel cells are not a new idea when it comes to sustainable energy and it does have a lot of potential when it comes to environmental protection. The problem comes with infrastructure. While there are a handful of brands working on hydrogen-powered cars like Toyota's Mirai and Honda's Clarity, filling stations are few and far between. Chances are if you do not live close to a filling station, you won't buy a hydrogen car.

But, like I said before, the future of this technology is bright and a dramatic change in infrastructure could see hydrogen cars becoming a dime a dozen. At the moment, battery-powered electric cars dominate the market outside of the traditional internal combustion engines.

Coming to the Hyundai Nexo, the SUV was designed to keep it as slippery as possible. Aerodynamics were so important during the design process that even the 17-inch rims have been designed to keep drag low. The door handles have been made to sit flush with the bodywork and pop out whenever required.

On the inside, everything looks futuristic. The 12.3-inch infotainment display sits proudly in the centre of the dashboard moulding seamlessly into a 7-inch colour display that sits behind the steering wheel. The flat center console is riddled with buttons, giving you the impression of sitting inside the cockpit of a plane.

The only problem is that you cannot fly. The Nexo claims a 0-62 mph time of 9.2 seconds although since it is an electric motor, every ounce of torque is delivered right from a standstill.

Other features include lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control which allow the Nexo to drive semi-autonomously, smart park assist and a blind-spot view mirror.