Hyundai’s Nexo hydrogen cars delivered to Malaysia energy firm

Hyundai Motor Company’s hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle model Nexo was selected as an eco-friendly vehicle model of Malaysian state-run energy company Sarawak Energy and will enter the Southeast Asian market for the first time.

Hyundai Motor reported on Tuesday that it has delivered two Nexos to Sarawak Energy at an opening ceremony for the first Southeast Asian hydrogen station held in Kuching, East Malaysia. Attendants at the Monday event included Lee Yong-seok, the head of Hyundai Motor’s Asia-Pacific sales division, Sarawak Governor Abang Johari Openg, and Sarawak Energy CEO Sharbini Suhaili.

Sarawak Energy is planning to construct hydrogen production facilities and hydrogen fueling stations to bring transformative changes to transportation in the region. The South Korean automaker’s Nexo was selected as a car model for the test operation of the first hydrogen station. “We selected Nexo as a test vehicle for its safety and long driving range—about 600 kilometers per charge,” explained Sarawak Energy CEO Sharbini Suhaili.

Over 1,000 Nexos have been sold in global markets for the first five months of this year, having already exceeded last year’s sales volume of 949 vehicles. The Nexo made the list of Top 10 Engines by Ward's Auto, a U.S.-based auto magazine. The South Korean car model was also recently named as a “game changer” at the 2019 Autocar Awards by U.K. car magazine Autocar.

“Starting off in Malaysia, Hyundai Motor will expand the supply of hydrogen-powered vehicles in Southeast Asia,” said a Hyundai Motor official.


warum@donga.com