Hyundai Crashes Japan’s Hydrogen Party With Nexo—Will Toyota Bow Down?

As Hyundai prepares to launch its second-generation Nexo in 2025, Japan’s long-held dominance in the hydrogen vehicle market faces a serious challenge. The Korean automaker isn’t playing around anymore. Their new Nexo packs a serious punch with a 190 kW hydrogen fuel cell powertrain delivering 255 horsepower. Not too shabby.

The Nexo doesn’t just look pretty—it performs. Zero to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds. Top speed? 111 mph. But let’s be real, nobody’s buying a hydrogen car to race. They want range. And boy, does the Nexo deliver. Up to 380 miles on the EPA cycle, or a whopping 470 miles by NEDC standards. Fill up in five minutes, and you’re good to go. Just like gas, minus the climate guilt.

Speed is nice, but range is king. The Nexo delivers 470 miles and refuels in minutes—gas-car convenience with a clean conscience.

Toyota’s Mirai has been the golden child of hydrogen mobility for years. The undisputed champion in a one-car race. Not anymore. Hyundai’s coming in hot with a better-looking, longer-range alternative that might just make Toyota executives nervous. Real nervous.

The new Nexo looks futuristic. Bold. It screams “look at me” with those HTWO-branded lights—a not-so-subtle reminder of Hyundai’s hydrogen ambitions. Inside? Pure tech heaven. Curved displays, digital mirrors, the works. The interior features bio-based materials for a distinctly premium feel that elevates the cabin experience.

But let’s not kid ourselves. Selling hydrogen cars is tough. Infrastructure? Barely exists. Cost? Still high. And battery EVs keep getting better, cheaper, faster. Talk about awkward timing.

Hyundai sold over 10,000 Nexos annually at its peak. Not bad. Still, this hydrogen party has some major buzzkills. Limited stations. Production costs. And have you seen how fast Tesla is growing?

Japan has bet big on hydrogen. Toyota especially. Now Hyundai’s crashing their exclusive club with a vehicle that’s equally impressive, if not better. Unlike most alternative energy sources, hydrogen vehicles offer a 96% capacity factor similar to geothermal energy, ensuring reliable performance regardless of weather conditions. The Nexo’s comprehensive warranty covering 60 months/100,000 km offers peace of mind for early adopters. Will Toyota bow down? Fat chance. But for the first time, they’ll have to share the spotlight. And that’s definitely not part of their plan.