Paris-based electric taxi start-up Société du Taxi Electrique Parisien (STEP) is to deploy 60 additional Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell cars with plans to increase its fleet further still in the next five years.

The ix35 Fuel Cells deployed by STEP are partially funded by the Hydrogen Mobility Europe Project

Under a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Motor, STEP will add the additional vehicles to replace petrol and diesel-powered cars.

The firm currently runs five ix35 Fuel Cell cars, which were delivered in December 2015 and are said to comprise the world’s largest fuel cell taxi fleet “hype” (Hydrogen Powered Electric). It currently plans to increase this up to several hundred vehicles within five years.

Compared to a diesel-powered taxi with CO2 emissions of 135g/km and an annual mileage of 100,000km, the ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles will save more than 800 tonnes of CO2 per year in exhaust emissions.

“With the memorandum of today, STEP and Hyundai Motor have committed to bring 60 additional ix35 Fuel Cell taxis to the streets of Paris,” says Thomas A Schmid, chief operating officer at Hyundai Motor Europe. “Not only will the fuel cell taxis provide a clean transportation solution for the city, they are also a practical, comfortable and reliable choice for drivers and passengers.”