Hyundai Motor delivers five ix35 Fuel Cell cars in Paris to taxi fleet ‘hype', saving 70 Tonnes of CO2 per year.

• Hyundai Motor delivers five ix35 Fuel Cell cars in Paris to taxi fleet ‘hype’
• Car handover and hydrogen refuelling station unveiling alongside COP21
• ix35 Fuel Cell taxis will save around 70 tonnes of CO₂ in Greater Paris area

Hyundai Motor has delivered five ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles to the Paris-based electric taxi start-up STEP (Société du Taxi Electrique Parisien). The handover coincides with the opening of the first hydrogen refuelling station in Paris, launched as the world focuses on COP21, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in the French capital.

The delivery of the five ix35 Fuel Cell makes the world’s largest fuel cell taxi fleet, and is the first step in establishing a hydrogen-powered electric taxi fleet called “hype” (Hydrogen Powered Electric), serving the Greater Paris area.The fleet is planned to increase up to several hundred vehicles within five years, with the refuelling infrastructure to be gradually installed in 2016, to meet the increasing demand for hydrogen.

Thomas A. Schmid, Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe, said: “With this pioneering project, Hyundai Motor and STEP are bringing new sustainable mobility to the streets of Paris. The ix35 Fuel Cell taxis will provide not only a clean solution for the city, but also a practical, comfortable and reliable choice for drivers and passengers.”

Compared to a diesel-powered taxi with CO₂ emissions of 135g/km and an annual mileage of 100,000 kilometres, the ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles will save around 70 tonnes of CO₂ per year in exhaust emissions. The only emissions from the tailpipe of the ix35 Fuel Cell during driving are water vapour.

The high-frequency usage of these cars on the ‘hype’ fleet will also showcase the reliability and all-day usability of fuel cell vehicles. To support this, Hyundai Motor will introduce and certify a specialised Hyundai fuel cell dealership, to service the growing taxi fleet.

With this latest delivery of fuel cell electric vehicles, the number of ix35 Fuel Cell on European roads has passed 250 units. The ix35 Fuel Cell was the first hydrogen-powered car to be mass-produced and offered for sale in Europe. The examples already on European roads have covered more than 1.2 million kilometres. By the end of 2015, the model will be available to buy or lease in 13 European countries.

SMMT predicts that the UK will top the 1970's height of UK car production by 2020, and mostly with premium products.

• Annual production to hit all-time record of two million vehicles in 2020, beating former 1970s high.
• Sector growth could create 37,500 new UK jobs by 2020, with supply chain providing lion’s share.
• UK is EU’s second-biggest maker of premium cars and greater shift to premium production expected. 

The UK automotive industry is on course to break manufacturing records by the end of the decade, according to a new forecast report launched today by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Annual car production is expected to pass the two million milestone by 2020 – breaking the current record of 1.92 million cars which was set in 1972, when the most popular car was the Ford Cortina rather than today’s top-seller, the Ford Fiesta.

More than 1.5 million cars were built in the UK in 2014, and acceleration in productivity and production volumes towards the end of the decade will see the UK consolidate its position as the third-largest maker of cars in Europe, behind Germany and Spain but ahead of France and a strengthening Eastern Europe.

The report also predicts a rise in employment, with jobs growth in the sector driven predominantly in the supply chain. Up to 9,500 jobs will be created at source by vehicle manufacturers, but that could generate a potential extra 28,000 at component supply companies as UK manufacturers’ demand for home-grown components increases.

Key to the sector’s success is the ‘shift to premium’ – in other words, the increasing value of the vehicles made in – and exported by – British manufacturers. In 2010, 37% of UK car production was by premium manufacturers; this is projected to rise to 54% by 2020. This reflects increasing global demand for premium vehicles and benefits the whole economy, with more value generated for each vehicle exported. The UK is already Europe’s second-highest producer of premium cars, behind only Germany.

The report – The Future of UK Automotive Manufacturing in 2025 and Beyond¹ – was launched today at the SMMT International Automotive Summit in London, and provides a comprehensive long-term outlook on the future of the UK automotive industry.

Since the recession, the UK automotive sector has undergone a renaissance with significant recent investments – including a cumulative £2 billion to-date in 2015 alone. Car production for the year-to-date passed the one million mark last month, its best annual performance since the recession.

The prospects for the UK automotive sector are well grounded – although as the report makes clear, this is dependent on global market conditions and the prospect of future investments which assume the UK’s continued membership of the European Union.

Speaking at the Summit, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “This report is further proof of the growing stature of the UK as a global destination for high quality vehicle manufacture. The automotive industry has made tremendous strides in recent years, as significant investment, along with partnership with government, has driven huge growth in production and employment.

“The prospect of further jobs growth, particularly in the supply chain, is extremely encouraging, while the UK’s consolidation as a global hub for premium production is testament to our prowess in design and precision engineering. This success, built on improvements in productivity, workforce flexibility and skilled people, has been hard-fought for; we cannot be complacent. Future growth in a fiercely competitive global market will rely upon continued government support, as well as an attractive business environment which drives investment and stimulates innovation.” 

Best-sellers: then and now
1972	2015 (YTD)
1.Ford Cortina	1. Ford Fiesta
2.Ford Escort	2.Vauxhall Corsa
3.Morris Marina	3.Ford Focus
4.BL 1100/1300	4.Volkswagen Golf
5.Vauxhall Viva/Magnum	5.Nissan Qashqai

Nissan's NV200 is on track to reach a sales milestone of 200,000 cumulative units by the end of the fiscal year.

• Award-winning Nissan NV200 compact van is a key part of the company's push to become the world's leading LCV manufacturer
• Cumulative sales have topped 170,000 units, will reach 200,000 units by the end of fiscal year 2013
• The Nissan NV200 is the base vehicle for the specially designed and equipped New York City "Taxi of Tomorrow"

Nissan's NV200 is on track to reach a sales milestone of 200,000 cumulative units by the end of the fiscal year.

The award-winning compact van is a key global growth vehicle for Nissan, which is seeking to become the world's leading manufacturer of LCVs by the end of fiscal year 2016 (April 2016-March 2017).

The Nissan NV200 is now sold in more than 40 countries after recent launches in the United States and South Africa. It offers outstanding cargo space and class-leading cost of ownership. Best performance for maneuverability, drivability and load accessibility are matched to attractive design.

The NV200 is the base vehicle for New York's "Taxi of Tomorrow." In Japan, the NV200 Vanette taxi makes an innovative contribution to the country's barrier-free public transportation infrastructure. Wheelchair users can roll on and off the vehicle through the rear door with no impediments.

The Nissan NV200 has won awards in many different parts of the world including 2010 International Van of the Year award in Europe and the 2010 Commercial Delivery Van (CDV) of the Year in China. It was awarded the 2011 Universal Design Award from Universal Design GMbH, a German organization dedicated to promoting the convergence of design and the emerging importance of customer needs, as well as the 2011 Universal Design Consumer's Favorite Award, making the first time in the automotive industry that one vehicle was awarded both accolades.