Hyundai Nexo first fuel cell EV to get five-star Euro NCAP rating

Hyundai’s Nexo is the first fuel-cell electric vehicle to receive the maximum five-star overall rating from the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

The Nexo demonstrated its high active and passive safety in all four Euro NCAP rating categories.

The top performance, achieved through extensive safety equipment and high chassis rigidity, shows Nexo’s SmartSense active safety and driving assistance technologies protect its passengers and other road users, Hyundai says.

Hyundai Motor Europe HQ marketing and product vice-president Andreas-Christoph Hofmann says it’s further evidence of Hyundai’s leading position in future mobility.

“We are not only a pioneer in bringing future mobility onto the streets, but our cars are also among the safest. The Euro NCAP rating confirms our commitment to provide customers and other road users with the highest level of safety and innovative mobility solutions.”

Forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection was rigorously tested by Euro NCAP.

This system is one of the car’s many advanced active safety features, alerting drivers to emergency situations and braking automatically if required.

Using front radar and camera sensors, FCA operates in three stages.

Warning the driver visually and acoustically, it controls the brake according to the collision danger level and applies maximum braking force to avoid a collision or minimise damage when a collision is unavoidable.

The lane keeping assist system also received a top rating in Euro NCAP testing.

It is enhanced by the standard-fit lane following assist, which keeps the car in the middle of the lane and alerts the driver in case of any unsafe movements at a speed from 0 to 150km/h.

Among others, Hyundai’s i30, Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe and Ioniq all received the maximum five-star rating in the assessment programme.

The Nexo is on sale now in Europe, with specific launch timings varying by market.

Test and demonstration production Nexos are due to arrive in Australia in the first half of 2019, with the official launch timing dependent on the availability of suitable hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.