Five-Point Inspection: Volkswagen Passat HyMotion Research Vehicle

The specs:

Those four-tanks of hydrogen along with that 134-hp electric motor means that the Passat HyMotion research vehicle has a cruising range of 310 miles. That’s better than the other hydrogen powered cars available in the US. Consider the competition: the newly announced Toyota Mirai can travel 300 miles before hitting empty, while the Hyundai Tucson FCEV can travel a total 265 miles. This Passat is literally miles ahead of them!

But when it comes to speed the Passat HyMotion falls short. It takes 10 seconds to hit highway speeds, which is a bit on the slow side for a mid-size sedan. While it’s slow on the road, this hydrogen car is quick to get going again. A refill of the hydrogen tanks can be done at a station much like a gas powered car where it takes about five minutes to top off.