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South Korea's Hyundai sent one of their prototype fuel cell powered Tucson crossovers to Shanghai China last week for the Challenge Bibendum and it put in a pretty good showing. The fuel cell Tucson was the only vehicle of it's type to get a perfect score during the competition. The Tucson was one of the first fuel cell vehicles capable of starting at freezing temperatures down to -20C and also uses a lithium polymer battery for capturing energy from regenerative braking.

[Source: Hyundai] Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle Aces Challenge Bibendum
Only Fuel Cell Vehicle to Earn a Perfect Score

November 20, 2007 -- SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- Hyundai Motor Co.'s Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) triumphed in this year's Challenge Bibendum held in Shanghai, China from November 14 - 17. Competing against teams from Daimler AG, GM and Nissan, the Tucson FCEV was the only fuel cell electric vehicle to get a perfect score in the competition.

"This result confirms that Hyundai's fuel cell technology is among the front-runners in the industry," said Kwon Moon-Shik, Hyundai's senior executive vice president responsible for advanced technology. Team Hyundai has scored victories in previous editions of the Challenge Bibendum.

Challenge Bibendum, created by Michelin in 1998, is a competition for the promotion of sustainable road mobility which covers four performance test parameters: noise, fuel efficiency, pollutants and CO2 emissions.

About the Hyundai Tucson FCEV
Introduced in 2004, the Tucson FCEV is Hyundai's second generation fuel cell electric vehicle. Built with lightweight, performance-boosting aluminum body components, and a power plant located under the front hood, the Hyundai Tucson has a power-to-weight ratio similar to that of conventional SUV's. It features low noise levels plus roomy passenger space and cargo capacity that offers the same level of comfort and convenience of a standard gasoline-powered SUV.

The Tucson FCEV has a driving range of 300 km (186 miles) thanks to a 152-liter (40-gallon) hydrogen storage tank and a maximum speed at 150km/h (93 mph). 2005 marked a major technology breakthrough for Hyundai, as the Tucson FCEV became one of the first fuel cell vehicles capable of starting in freezing temperatures. Testing has proven that the vehicle is capable of starting after being subjected to -20 degrees Celsius temperatures for five days.

Other technical advancements for this model include a higher output fuel cell and a lithium ion polymer battery. The heart of this 21st century vehicle is an 80kW fuel cell stack developed by Hyundai.

Hyundai is currently operating two fuel cell test fleets, one in the United States and one in Korea. Hyundai is partnering with UTC Power, Chevron Texaco and the U.S. Department of Energy in a program which calls for the supply of 32 fuel cell vehicles. In Korea, Hyundai is supplying the government ministries and agencies with 34 fuel cell vehicles, including four buses.

About Challenge Bibendum
Challenge Bibendum, created by Michelin in 1998, is a unique event for the promotion of sustainable road mobility. The event is a concerted effort by pre-eminent players in the automotive world - vehicle manufacturers, technical partners, energy suppliers and research institutes - to provide political and economic decision makers, as well as opinion leaders, with insights and in-depth understanding on the latest advanced vehicle technology to help achieve a more fuel-efficient, cleaner, safer and freer-flowing road mobility. Challenge Bibendum is a one-of-a-kind event, open to all technologies. Not only does it enable all the players in road mobility to come together to share their thoughts and experience, and to try out the latest technological developments for them, but it also tests, measures and analyzes the progress achieved by different technologies.