Proton　exchange　membrane　fuel　cells　(PEMFCs)　possess　the　benefits　of　high　conversion　efficiency,　low　operation　noise　and　no　pollution　which　are　considered　as　potential　power　solutions　for　the　automotive　application.　The　supply　and　recirculation　of　hydrogen　determines　the　output　performance　of　PEMFC　that　is　required　to　be　well　regulated.　The　hydrogen　excess　ratio　(HER)　is　asked　to　locate　at　appropriate　operating　points　and　the　pressure　difference　between　anode　and　cathode　should　be　limited　within　a　reasonable　range.　In　this　paper,　a　pseudo-reference-based　multiple-input　multiple-output　(MIMO)　model　predictive　control　(MPC)　integrated　with　the　feedback　linearization　is　proposed　for　the　HER　regulation　and　the　pressure　balance　of　electrodes.　The　nonlinear　hydrogen　delivery　system　model　is　developed　which　consists　of　two　actuators:　flow　control　valve　and　hydrogen　circulating　pump.　To　address　the　high　nonlinearity　of　the　hydrogen　delivery　system,　the　feedback　linearization　is　formulated.　The　MIMO　MPC　is　then　developed　based　on　the　feedback　linearized　model　with　the　defined　pseudo-reference　which　can　effectively　reduce　the　overshoot　of　HER.　Comparing　with　the　normal　MPC　based　on　one　working-point　first-order　Taylor　expansion,　the　more　accurate　hydrogen　regulation　performance　of　the　proposed　MPC　can　be　achieved.　The　proposed　MPC　can　effectively　reduce　the　HER　overshoot　by　59.25%　at　the　initial　response　phase　with　nearly　same　convergence　time.　Under　the　New　European　Driving　Cycle　(NEDC)　simulation　condition,　the　average　overshoot　reduction　of　anode　pressure　and　HER　can　reach　to　47.45%　and　77.34%　that　demonstrates　a　well　application　prospect　of　the　proposed　MPC　in　the　automotive　PEMFC　hydrogen　regulation.　A　hardware　in　loop　(HIL)　experiment　was　finally　conducted　to　show　the　real-time　capacity　of　the　proposed　MPC　method.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd