Unveiling Nexo's Fuel Cell Maintenance Costs: A Comprehensive Guide

The Nexo is a fuel-cell car produced by Hyundai. The Nexo Blue will cost $59,345 and the Nexo Limited will cost $62,845. Dealers qualified to service it are few and far between, and the servicing intervals are very short. Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty on all of its cars.

Cost of hydrogen fuel - Around £80 for each 400-mile tank

The average fuel economy of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) is 60 miles per kg (mpk). Gasoline cars get 30 mpg and midsize gasoline hybrids 42 mpg. FCV fuel cost is three times higher per mile than a gasoline hybrid and two times higher than that of a conventional gasoline vehicle. In 2021, hydrogen needed to have been priced at $5.88/kg; hydrogen retailed at $16.50/kg that year. According to hydrogen advocates, FCVs’ high fuel economy helps keep FCV fueling costs competitive with gasoline-fuelled vehicles, and that future hydrogen fuel cost will be lower due to higher volumes or greater economies of scale.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCV) are zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) which comply with California’s ZEV mandate and internal combustion engine ban. One challenge facing FCVs is the high fuel cost – due to hydrogen’s unique physical properties. High gasoline prices beyond $4.00 per gallon have recently made it into headlines nationwide; meanwhile, since 2014, hydrogen in California has retailed for approximately $14.00 per kilogram (kg), which is equivalent to $14/gallon gasoline. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2022 Fuel Economy Guide the average fuel economy of a FCVs is 60 miles per kg (mpk). On average, gasoline cars get 30 mpg and midsize gasoline hybrids 42 mpg. FCV fuel cost is three times higher per mile than a gasoline hybrid and two times higher than that of a conventional gasoline vehicle.

To give you a rough idea of what sort of fuel-economy the NEXO delivers, our test car claimed to be returning the equivalent of 53mpg, but it’s disappointing that hydrogen currently costs around £12/kg, which works out at £80 for each circa-400-mile tank; in other words, more expensive than an efficient diesel car on a per-mile basis. It’s hoped that hydrogen will get cheaper as demand rises, but that brings us back to the tricky chicken-and-egg situation of buyers waiting for better infrastructure, while the infrastructure providers wait for buyers. To add more woes to the real ownership proposition of the NEXO, dealers qualified to service it are few and far between, and the servicing intervals are very short.

Hydrogen prices vary, but I called up Motive Fuels, the UK’s largest hydrogen station operator, and they said that their green hydrogen costs around £21 per kilogram. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2022 Fuel Economy Guide the average fuel economy of a FCVs is 60 miles per kg (mpk). On average, gasoline cars get 30 mpg and midsize gasoline hybrids 42 mpg. FCV fuel cost is three times higher per mile than a gasoline hybrid and two times higher than that of a conventional gasoline vehicle. In 2021, hydrogen needed to have been priced at $5.88/kg; hydrogen retailed at $16.50/kg that year. According to hydrogen advocates, FCVs’ high fuel economy helps keep FCV fueling costs competitive with gasoline-fuelled vehicles, and that future hydrogen fuel cost will be lower due to higher volumes or greater economies of scale.

Service intervals - Short intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months

The Nexo fuel cell car has short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months. This is highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

The Nexo fuel cell car has very short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months. This is highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

The Nexo fuel cell car has very short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months. This is highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

The Nexo fuel cell car has very short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months. This is highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

The Nexo fuel cell car has very short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months. This is highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

Dealers qualified to service - Few and far between

The Hyundai Nexo is a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that has a range of 380 miles and a fuel economy of 53mpg. However, the cost of hydrogen is around £12/kg, which works out to be £80 for each 400-mile tank, making it more expensive than an efficient diesel car on a per-mile basis.

The servicing intervals for the Nexo are very short, and dealers qualified to service it are few and far between. This makes it inconvenient for owners to find a qualified dealer for maintenance and repairs.

The cost of maintenance for the Nexo is not explicitly stated, but it is likely to be high due to the specialized nature of the vehicle and the limited availability of qualified dealers. Maintenance costs may include regular servicing, parts replacement, and hydrogen fuel cell maintenance.

The cost of hydrogen fuel is a significant factor in the overall cost of ownership for the Nexo. The price of hydrogen fuel varies depending on the location and availability of hydrogen refueling stations.

The Hyundai Nexo is available for lease, with the base model Nexo Blue leased for $399 a month and the Nexo Limited leased for $449 a month. The lease terms include hydrogen fueling cards with a combined value of $13,000 for the first three years of ownership. However, the high cost of hydrogen fuel may offset the savings from leasing.

Warranty coverage - Five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty on powertrain and fuel cells

The Hyundai Nexo fuel cell car comes with a five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty on powertrain and fuel cells. This means that for the first five years of ownership, you will be covered for any issues that arise with the powertrain and fuel cells of your vehicle.

The Nexo is a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle and, as such, has very short servicing intervals. Dealers qualified to service it are few and far between. Hydrogen currently costs around £12/kg, which works out at £80 for each circa-400-mile tank. Hydrogen fueling stations are not as readily available as gas stations.

The Nexo comes in two versions: Nexo Blue and Nexo Limited. The EPA-rated range for the Nexo Blue is 380 miles, while the Nexo Limited has a range of 354 miles.

The Nexo can be leased for $399 a month or purchased for $59,345 for the Nexo Blue and $62,845 for the Nexo Limited. Hyundai has also clarified that those purchasing the Nexo will receive hydrogen fueling cards, to be used in the first three years of ownership, with a combined value of $13,000.

The Nexo also comes with five-year maintenance included in the purchase price. This means that you will not have to pay for any maintenance or servicing for the first five years of ownership.

Maintenance included - Five-year maintenance included with used purchases

Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty on all of its cars; the NEXO, its powertrain and fuel cells are covered by the same warranty. The small lithium-ion battery that stores energy from the regenerative braking system is warrantied for eight years or 125,000 miles.

The Nexo Blue will cost $59,345, and the Nexo Limited will cost $62,845. Dealers qualified to service it are few and far between, and the servicing intervals are very short.

Hyundai has clarified that those purchasing the Nexo will receive hydrogen fueling cards, to be used in the first three years of ownership, with a combined value of $13,000.

If you buy your Nexo used, you can get a fully loaded car that retails for $65,000 for only $9500 with five-year maintenance included.

The Nexo has short service intervals of 6,000 miles or 12 months, which will be highly irritating given that a standard petrol or electric car requires far fewer trips to the dealer.

Frequently asked questions