A fire broke out in Hyundai Motor's experimental hydrogen-powered electric car. It is the first time that a fire occurred in a hydrogen-powered electric car driving on a road.
A fire broke out at around 1 p.m. on July 16 at Hyundai Motor's experimental hydrogen-powered electric vehicle Nexo, which was driving in the new city of Naepo in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong Province. The fire broke out on the way to the Naepo charging station.
The fire vehicle was carrying a Hyundai Motor researcher. He called 911 shortly after the fire and Hongseong Fire Station firefighters were dispatched in 10 minutes and extinguished the fire.
When the firefighters were dispatched, flames had already broken out in the hood of Nexo and spread. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The exact cause of the fire has not known yet. Hyundai Motor sent the fire vehicle to Hyundai Mobis' technology institute to investigate the cause. It was the first time that a hydrogen-powered vehicle caught fire. The Nexo hydrogen electric car reacts hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack to produce electricity.
Meanwhile, a day before the fire, Israeli President Reuben Rivlin visited the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Technology Research Institute to test-drive a self-driving vehicle based on the Nexo hydrogen-powered electric vehicle.
According to Hyundai Motor, President Rivlin discussed with Chung Eui-sun, executive vice chairman of Hyundai Motor, how to cooperate in the future industrial sector of Israel and Hyundai Motor.
Hyundai Motor plans to expand the supply of hydrogen-powered electric vehicles. In May, the company delivered two Nexo hydrogen electric vehicles to the energy public corproation Sarawak Energy Berhad at the opening ceremony of its first hydrogen charging station in Southeast Asia held in Kuching, Malaysia.
Sarawak Energy is working on a project to build eco-friendly infrastructure such as hydrogen production facilities and charging stations. The company selected Hyundai Motor's Nexo as a pilot vehicle for the first hydrogen charging station in Southeast Asia.
