French automaker, Hopium, has made its very first hydrogen-electric prototype. It has also begun accepting orders. Because of its potential to store energy in a transportable form, hydrogen is shaping up to be a hot area in the renewable energy game. It will, however, be a difficult proposition, since there were only 553 hydrogen-filling outlets throughout the globe at the end of 2020. In other words, hydrogen isn't exactly readily available just yet.
2021 Hopium Machina - Redefining What We Think About Hydrogen Power
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- Model: 2021 Hopium Machina - Redefining What We Think About Hydrogen Power
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Overview
Despite the skepticism that surrounds Hydrogen as a prospective fuel of the future, it did not deter Olivier Lombard from having faith in technology. Olivier became the youngest class winner at Le Mans a decade ago, when he won the LMP2 class at the age of 21.
To demonstrate his claim on hydrogen as a fuel, he founded Hopium, a small EV firm based in France. He believes that the most plentiful element in the universe will be the answer to challenges faced by the mobility industry. His company revealed its plans to develop high-performance hydrogen cars in October of last year and has wasted no time in putting a prototype on the road.
The French manufacturer recently debuted its first rolling prototype, nicknamed the 'Alpha 0,' at the Viva Technology week in Paris, which ran from June 16 to June 19.
With that, feast your eyes on the sinister Hopium Machina. The purpose of this prototype is to certify the reliability of the fuel cell technology.
Design
The Machina looks fantastic - almost as if Hopium's designers were inspired by Aston Martin's work.
“Alpha 0 also presents for the first time the Hopium characteristic illumination, whose shape is reminiscent of hydrogen stratification and the movement of waves on the surface of the water.” - Hopium
Performance
Plastic Omnium of Belgium supplied two 700-bar hydrogen tanks. One of them runs along the center of the chassis floor, while a secondary shorter tank lies sideways underneath the trunk, with the fuel cell stack located upfront. The renders show a significantly flatter chassis than a typical combustion automobile, but it's not as small as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) chassis.
Hopium Alpha 0 specifications
|
Powertrain |
two 700-bar hydrogen tanks |
|---|---|
|
Power |
500 HP |
|
Top Speed |
143 mph |
|
Range |
620 miles |
To sum it up
Even with the construction of new hydrogen stations at a slower pace than, say, the rate of EV adoption, the trend is likely to continue as hydrogen begins to demonstrate the advantages of its high energy density. Would a fully developed fuelling infrastructure render hydrogen a viable option for passenger vehicles? It'll be superior to a battery-electric for lengthy highway drives because you can fill up and get on the road nearly as fast as you can in today's gasoline vehicles.
Meanwhile, Hopium has started reservations in Europe for the first 1,000 units of the Machina, with a reserve price of €410. The high-end eco-friendly automobile is labeled as the first-ever French hydrogen-powered sedan and is projected to cost over €120,000 (about $142,000) when it hits the market in 2026.