Hyundai’s hydrogen Nexo refuels in 5 min for a 700 km range, topping BYD’s EV at 400 km

Hyundai introduced its second-generation Nexo SUV, a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show. This model builds on the Initium concept revealed at the previous year’s LA Auto Show. Sales will start in Korea, with plans to expand to other markets in 2025.The Nexo’s power comes from a hydrogen fuel cell stack generating 110 kW, combined with a 150 kW electric motor, resulting in a total output of 190 kW. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds, an improvement over the first generation’s 9.2 seconds. Hyundai claims it can travel 700 km after a 5-minute refuel.

In terms of charging speeds comparison, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD introduced its Super E-Platform earlier this year, a 1,000-volt system for battery electric vehicles. This platform, powering models like the Han L sedan and Tang L SUV, achieves a 400 km range with a 5-minute charge at 1,000 kW.While the Nexo relies on hydrogen, refuelling in 5 minutes for 700 km, BYD’s system uses an 83.2 kWh Blade battery with a 10C charging rate, fully charging in 6 minutes. Hyundai’s Nexo doubles BYD’s range per 5-minute charge, but hydrogen infrastructure lags behind BYD’s planned 4,000+ ultra-fast charging stations in China alone.

The exterior design features a boxy shape with squarish upper clusters, an air dam, and block-pattern lamps. Inside, the Nexo has a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster, and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For safety, it includes nine airbags and driver assistance systems like blind-spot collision-avoidance assist.

The Nexo’s exterior mirrors the Initium concept, with squarish upper clusters, slit-like lamps, and block-pattern lights on the bumper. Its bonnet has two prominent lines, and the front bumper features D-shaped openings. A three-coat paint process shifts the body colour with light angles.

The SUV’s profile includes a flat roofline dropping sharply at the C-pillar, heavy cladding around the wheel arches, and horizontal creases. The rear has block-pattern tail lamps matching the concept.

Inside, the Nexo offers a minimalistic cabin with two 12.3-inch displays for infotainment and instruments, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It includes a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, dual wireless charging, AI voice assistant, dash cams, and fingerprint authentication. Safety features comprise nine airbags and ADAS systems like forward collision avoidance and blind-spot monitoring.