An extra 60 Hyundai ix35 Hydrogen Fuel Cell taxis for Paris
A taxi fleet of five Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell electric taxis run by Société du Taxi Electrique Parisien is about to grow by 60 and will reach hundreds.
But even if it looks like Hyundai are playing the BEV game, despite eschewing it back in 2011, that’s because they really have no choice but to pursue what others are pursuing, even if the core belief in BEVs is missing. A bit like Toyota, really.
But alongside the Ioniq BEV and hybrids, Hyundai are still producing the world’s first mass-produced, commercially available hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle in the Hyundai ix35 FCEV, and we’re about to see a chunk more on the roads of Paris.
The world’s largest FCEV taxi fleet currently consist of five ix35 FCEVs run by Société du Taxi Electrique Parisien (STEP ) in Paris, but at the opening of a new hydrogen refuelling centre at Hyundai’s European HQ in Germany an MOU has been signed to deliver a further 60 ix35 FCEVs as Paris taxis.
Thomas A. Schmid, Hyundai’s COO in Europe, said:
STEP and Hyundai Motor have committed to bring 60 additional ix35 Fuel Cell taxis to the streets of Paris. Not only will the fuel cell taxis provide a clean transportation solution for the city, they are also a practical, comfortable and reliable choice for drivers and passengers.
It’s a drop in the ocean of replacing the 17,000 predominantly diesel taxis roaming Paris streets in search of a fare, but even if you’re sceptical about the amount of damage CO2 does, you can’t deny it’s good to get rid of particulates from the atmosphere in cities produced by diesel-engined transport.
Paradoxically, despite long believing hydrogen power is the future, we’ve long believed the best place for BEVs is as taxis in city environments.
Still, next best must be FCEVs.
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