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Hyundai hearts House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus in Tucson promotion

Hyundai may be based in South Korea, but the automaker is touting hydrogen fuel-cell technology as an all-American benefit and is getting some help from the US government to do so. The company said this week that it's collaborating with the US Department of Energy and the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus at promoting fuel-cell technology. The timing is good because Hyundai just started selling the first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle sold/leased in the US (unless you count the Honda FCX Clarity, which we know Honda does). The goal for Hyundai and its public partners is to boost awareness of the benefits of fuel-cell technology (the full tank range is similar to a gas-powered vehicle without the tailpipe emissions). With enough awareness and resulting demand, the high cost of both building such vehicles and installing the refueling infrastructure needed to refuel them will theoretically get driven down. Or at least that's what Hyundai and future fuel-cell vehicle makers like Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and General Motors are shooting for. Hyundai started leasing its Tucson crossover fuel-cell vehicle in Southern California earlier this year. The company is charging $499 a month, in addition to a $2,999 down payment for the vehicle, and is allowing drivers to fuel up for no extra charge. Take a look at Hyundai's press release below, and then check out our Quick Spin impressions. Hyundai Collaborates With Congressional Hydrogen And Fuel Cell Caucus To Highlight Introduction Of Mass-Produced Fuel Cell Vehicles In The Retail Market Members of Congress, Department of Energy Tout Importance of Fuel Cell Technology WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Hyundai collaborated with the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus and the Department of Energy to highlight the introduction of the first mass-produced fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. retail market. In a briefing organized by the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, Hyundai executives, Members of Congress, and an official from the Department of Energy discussed the innovative and clean technology that powers hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the need for additional hydrogen infrastructure in the United States. "Hyundai is thrilled to partner with leaders in Congress and the Department of Energy to promote the continued development and commercialization of these clean energy technologies," said Kathleen Hennessey, Vice President, Government Affairs for Hyundai Motor Company.

Hyundai finally settles inflated fuel economy claims lawsuit for $41.2 million

Remember when Hyundai and Kia changed their claimed fuel economy numbers for a bunch of models? That happened back in 2012, and Hyundai has finally settled a lawsuit concerning the economy adjustment with a payment of $41.2 million. The lawsuit was filed by 33 state attorneys general, as well as one from Washington D.C. Each state will decide how to use its money from the settlement. According to Hyundai, this settlement was an "amicable agreement," and the company also denies any wrongdoing in changing claimed fuel economy numbers. Hyundai also reports that the agreement was reached, in part, due to the reimbursement program instituted after the economy adjustment. This program allows owners to be reimbursed the extra fuel cost, with payments determined by miles driven. The payments are sent after an owner has an affected car's odometer checked by a dealer. In addition, Hyundai also offered lump-sum payments as an option after the results of a class-action lawsuit. So far, the company reports about 75 percent of eligible owners have participated in the program. This isn't the only major payment Hyundai has made concerning the fuel economy issue. In 2014, Hyundai paid roughly $300 million in fines to the EPA. The company was also sued for inflated fuel economy claims in South Korea. In the US, models affected by the adjustment include the Hyundai Santa Fe, Accent, Veloster, Sonata Hybrid, Tucson, Genesis and Azera, along with the Kia Soul, Rio, Sorento, Sportage and Optima. Related Video: Image Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Government/Legal Green Hyundai Kia

Why Toyota's fuel cell play is one big green gamble

Imagine going to the ballet on Saturday evening for an 8 pm performance. The orchestra begins warming up shortly before the show, but it turns out the star performer isn't ready at the appointed time. The orchestra keeps playing, doing its best to keep the audience engaged and, most importantly, in the building. It keeps this up until the star finally shows and is ready to dance ... which turns out to be ten years later. That's a Samuel Beckett play. It's also how many observers, analysts, alt-fuel fans and alt-fuel intenders feel about the arrival of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) – the few of them who are still in the building, that is. Toyota's hydrogen development timeline rivals that of the US space program. In fact, within the halls of Toyota alone, research on FCVs has been going on for nearly 22 years, meaning that one company's development timeline for FCVs rivals that of the US space program – it was 1945 when Werner von Braun's team began re-assembling Germany's World War II V2 rockets and figuring out how to launch them into space and it wasn't until 1969 when a man set landing gear down on that sunlit lunar quarry. The development of the atom bomb only took half as long, and that's if we go all the way back to when Leo Szilard patented the mere idea of it, in 1934. Carmakers didn't give up on hydrogen in spite of the public having given up on carmakers ever making something of it, so there was a good chance that hydrogen criers announcing the mass-market adoption of periodic chart element number two one would eventually be right. Now is that time. And Toyota, not alone in researching FCVs but arguably having done the most to keep FCVs in the news, isn't even going to be first to market. That honor will go to Hyundai, surprising just about everyone at the LA Auto Show with news of a hydrogen fuel cell Tucson going on sale in the spring. The other bit of thunder stolen: while Toyota's talking about trying to get the price of its offering down to something between $50,000 and $100,000, Hyundai is pitching its date with the future at a lease price of $499 per month ($250 more than the lease price of a conventional Tucson), free hydrogen and maintenance, and availability at Enterprise Rent-A-Car if you just want to try it out. We've seen and driven Toyota's offering and we all know its success doesn't depend on cross-shopping, showroom dealing and lease sweeteners.