Get an early peek at Hyundai's hydrogen-fueled future

Hyundai invited us to drive a prototype of its upcoming hydrogen fuel cell vehicle from LA to Vegas for CES 2018. I expected a camouflaged mule, but was surprised to find it undisguised.

The prototype debuts a new look for Hyundai, with a narrow LED headlamp bar and an architectural grille.

The new model rides on a dedicated fuel cell platform that allows it to optimize for packaging and efficiency.

The new model boasts more hydrogen capacity and a more efficient fuel cell stack and battery, while also losing weight relative to the old Tucson FCEV. 

Hyundai hasn't announced official range and efficiency numbers, but estimates "over 350 miles" per fill-up and "55 plus mpge."

Power is also up thanks to a new 120 kW e-motor and significantly more torque.

The new model will also debut new driver aid features such as remote parking and a lane-centering steering assist feature called Highway Driving Assist. We were unable to test these on the prototype.

The new model will debut officially at CES 2018 as part of Hyundai's press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Hopefully, we'll learn then if the Korean automaker will offer some sort of fuel incentive similar to what Toyota and Honda offer on their FCEV leases.

Check out our First Drive for more driving impressions and real-world fuel economy estimates, and stay tuned for the rest of our coverage of CES 2018. And click or swipe through for lots more photos.