Exciting news– both Hyundai and Nissan showed their new fuel cell vehicle models at the Paris Auto Show.

Hyundai’s ix35 SUV is a hybrid vehicle that features a 100-kW fuel cell and a 24-kW lithium polymer battery.  The ix35 reaches a top speed of 100 mph (161 km/h), does 0-to-60 in 12.5 seconds, and has a driving range of 365 miles (587 km).  Hyundai has started production of the vehicle and will begin deliveries in December 2012 – with leases already signed in Sweden and Denmark.  Hyundai’s plan is to build up to 1,000 vehicles on the road by 2015, with a post-2015 goal to reach 10,000 units.

Nissan also debuted its TeRRA fuel cell concept vehicle that features the company’s new fuel cell stack which is 1/6th less costly than the previous 2005 version. No vehicle specs are available, but the TeRRA delivers “four-wheel-drive capability” and uses the same front wheel electric propulsion system as the all-electric Leaf.   Jay Leno has already scoped the TeRRA out – you can see a great close-up video of the car here:   http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/09/nissan-terra-is-fuel-cell-powered-study.html
(2nd video).

And in a big surprise, Toyota announced during an interview with a German business newspaper that it will begin series production of a fuel cell Prius in 2014!  Vehicle introduction (in 2015) will depend upon the availability of hydrogen fueling infrastructure, but the company is aiming to deploy the Prius fuel cell vehicle in Japan, Europe and the US.

Finally, in a September speech, Honda’s CEO reaffirmed the company’s intent to, “launch an all-new fuel cell electric model sequentially in Japan, the U.S. and Europe starting in 2015.”