FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 29, 2015 – The Tucson Fuel Cell, Hyundai’s hydrogen powered, zero-emissions vehicle, earned a Silver Edison Award in Energy and Sustainability at the Edison Awards Gala on Thursday, April 23. The annual award – named after Thomas Alva Edison – honors the best in innovation and excellence in the development of new products and services. Hyundai’s Tucson Fuel Cell is the first mass-produced hydrogen powered electric vehicle currently available for consumer lease in the U.S.
“For over 15 years Hyundai has worked on the development of fuel cell vehicles, with the goal of being a zero-emissions vehicle with no compromise, said Mike O’Brien, vice president corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Receiving this honor from a prestigious program like the Edison Awards is a reflection of the visionary leadership and hard work from some of the best engineers and designers in the industry.”
According to the Edison Awards, the recognition has become one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business. “Our judges recognized our winners as true innovators,” said Frank Bonafilia, executive director of the Edison Awards.
The ballot of nominees for the Edison Awards was judged by a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives including past award winners, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medical.
The Silver Edison Award compliments the roster of accolades the Tucson Fuel Cell has earned since the zero-emission vehicle entered the U.S. market last summer. The fuel cell technology effectively replaces the battery pack used in an electric vehicle by generating electricity from hydrogen through an electrochemical process that does not involve hydrogen combustion, with no moving parts within the fuel cell stack. The Tucson Fuel Cell maintains the day-to-day flexibility and experience of a gasoline-powered Tucson with no compromise for the consumer.
To view all of the 2015 Edison Awards recipients please visit: http://www.edisonawards.com/winners2015.php