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Hyundai Nexo revealed at CES: Hydrogen SUV finally gets a name, more photos

Hyundai Nexo, that's the name of the fuel-cell electric vehicle to succeed the Tucson FCEV. Built on a dedicated platform instead of using a converted ICE architecture, as the Tucson did, the Nexo packs a lighter, more compact hydrogen powertrain and a more powerful electric motor to deliver improved performance everywhere. The Nexo also plays a key role in Hyundai's "Hydrogen Life Vision," which aims at integrating hydrogen as a home energy source. The power density of the Nexo's stack increases by 50 percent, and overall system efficiency goes up 5.1 percent. The smaller engine contains fewer moving parts, and even the hydrogen tanks are 36 pounds lighter than those in the Tucson FCEV. View 11 Photos The Tucson FCEV uses a 100-kW electric motor that provides 221-pound-feet of torque, and after the 90-second preparation and stack heating time on startup, the Tucson accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour in 12.5 seconds. The Tucson's two storage tanks held 140 liters of hydrogen (37 gallons) that could provide about 295 miles of range and an EPA rating of 50 mpge. The Nexo uses a 120-kW motor with 291 lb-ft, is ready to go in 30 seconds after starting, and accelerates to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The new FCEV's three storage tanks hold 156 liters of hydrogen (42 gallons), which Hyundai says are good for more than 350 miles on the EPA test cycle. In a real-world run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Hyundai said the Nexo returned a 360-mile range and 57 mpge. Refilling the 700-bar system will take five minutes. The Nexo will introduce some of the carmaker's new technology, too. Lane Following Assist keeps the Nexo in the center of its lane in the city and on the highway, and recognizes road edges when lane markings aren't clear. Blind-spot View Monitor displays an image of either side of the vehicle when the driver plans to change lanes. The Nexo parks itself autonomously, and returns, with Remote Smart Parking Assistant Hyundai envisions owners of this second-generation FCEV beginning to use the Nexo as an integral part of their lives, not merely as an appliance. At the Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai will have the Nexo hooked up and providing power to a demo household as part of the automaker's "Hydrogen Life Vision." The carmaker's also got plans for using the Nexo's "pure water to grow vegetation" (water and water vapor are the only emissions byproduct of FCEVs).

Recharge Wrap-up: Uber app for Apple Watch, Hyundai brings ix35 Fuel Cell to Australia

Uber has updated its app to support the upcoming Apple Watch. Users will be able to hail a car with a single tap directly from the wearable device. The Uber app for the Apple Watch will also let the user check on the driver's progress. The Apple Watch launches on April 24. Read more at iPhone Hacks. The Place at Terracina in Austin, Texas will offer Car2go services onsite. Through a partnership with real estate group MC Companies, the carsharing service will have six dedicated parking spots at the community's entrance for residents and other nearby users. "We know our residents will benefit from the Car2Go service and hope it helps them share the good life with others," says MC Companies Vice President of Marketing Eric Brown. Read more in the press release from MC Companies below. Hyundai has debuted the ix35 (Tucson) Fuel Cell in Australia. Along with giving Australia its first hydrogen vehicle, Hyundai is also unveiling a solar hydrogen refueler. The refueling station, located at Hyundai's Sydney headquarters, uses solar power to run the electrolyzer to make hydrogen from water onsite. Hyundai's Bill Thomas told 3AW that a future where most vehicles on the road are powered by hydrogen is "a way off. We're working on our next-generation fuel cell vehicle which we're hoping to bring out in 2018, but even at that stage, we're only talking in small numbers." Listen at 3AW, and read more at RenewEconomy. MC Companies Partners with Car2Go Brings Innovative Service to The Place at Terracina with Car2Go SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars are a costly investment. We can't all buy our own and we understand that life can get in the way of being financially stable enough to purchase one. Living expenses, bills and unexpected costs pop up all the time. Car 2 Go is making it easy to have access to a car no matter what life throws at you. MC Companies is teaming up with Car2Go to bring this convenient service to The Place at Terracina. Car2Go now has six spaces for cars to be dropped off and picked up at the entrance of the community and this is the furthest North location that Car2Go has in the city. This provides residents, and people in the area, with shared vehicles to help them navigate through their days with ease. "We are excited to have Car2Go on our property and can't wait to share it with our residents," says community manager Rachel Sypho.

Major Alexa deal will bring Amazon services into more cars

Amazon and its personal assistance service Alexa are partnering with HERE Technologies to create a new connected mobility service powerhouse. Alexa will integrate with HERE's navigation and location services to offer what the two companies are calling a "true voice-first-navigation experience." Alexa will come pre-integrated with HERE navigation on-demand, which the automakers can then enable, which should help cut down on development time. One of the biggest features from this partnership is how directions could be offered and delivered using HERE's Open Location Platform (OLP). Currently, the OLP uses data from several car manufacturers to provide insights into real-time location and traffic. But on Alexa, this could be used to provide directional context. For example, Alexa could say, "Turn right after [such-and-such a building]" rather than just, "Turn right." Amazon has been testing the automotive waters throughout the past decade. Its home-based Alexa-enabled devices are already offered with connections to several manufacturers. To various degrees of integration, it can already pair with Ford, Genesis, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai and BMW vehicles. At the end of 2018, Amazon took things a step further when it introduced the Echo Auto, a Bluetooth-connected Alexa assistant device that can be physically kept in a car. Currently only available by invitation (its production and distribution have been delayed), the $25 device is essentially a voice service that works together with smartphones and connects to a car's speakers. Users can command it to do a variety of things, including playing music, setting navigation, opening the garage door, finding local stores, making calls, setting reminders, and thousands of other "skills." According to The Verge, nearly 1 million people have already ordered the device. Some (well, probably few) may know HERE Technologies from its maps on Windows Phones. We all know how that turned out, though. Today, HERE has expanded into a multi-function suite that is available in multiple mediums, including many automotive applications. HERE Automotive's connected vehicle services include real-time traffic, parking, weather, fuel prices, hazard warnings, traffic sign integration, and even EV charging stations. These all incorporate and extend the use of HERE's location and tracking programming. HERE is already partnered with BMW, Audi, Daimler, Intel, Mobileye, NVIDIA, and has investments from Bosch, Continental and Pioneer.