Hyundai is partnering with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to make its new hydrogen-powered Tucson Fuel Cell available to consumers at select locations in the Los Angeles/Orange County region.

This partnership will allow interested consumers to evaluate the Tucson Fuel Cell with rental availability planned for spring 2014.

“Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles represent the next generation of zero-emission vehicle technology, so we’re thrilled to be a leader in offering the mass-produced, federally certified Tucson Fuel Cell to retail customers,” said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. “The superior range and fast-fill refueling speed of our Tucson Fuel Cell vehicle contrast with the lower range and slow-charge characteristics of competing battery electric vehicles. We think fuel cell technology will increase the adoption rate of zero-emission vehicles, and we’ll all share the environmental benefits.”

According to University of California, Irvine’s “Advanced Power and Energy Program’s 2013 study,” the hydrogen fuel cell provides lower total well-to-wheel emissions than a battery electric vehicle.

According to Hyundai, its Tucson Fuel Cell has an estimated driving range up to 300 miles, is capable of full refueling in under 10 minutes (like gasoline) and has zero greenhouse-gas emissions (it emits only water vapor).

The Tucson Fuel Cell begins mass production for the U.S. market in February 2014 at the Ulsan, Korea assembly plant, which also manufactures the Tucson gasoline-powered CUV, says Hyundai.