Skip to content

Hydrogen-powered startups shine at the Paris Auto Show

    A man stands next to a futuristic silver sedan
    enlarge / Olivier Lombard is standing next to the Hopium Machina.

    Dhananjay Khadilkar

    PARIS – A 500 hp (373 kW) car with a range of 1000 km to a maximum speed of 230 km/h; the world’s first car partially powered by interchangeable tanks… The stylish and innovative Hopium Machina and NAMX SUV, both hydrogen-powered vehicles developed by startups, were among the main attractions at this year’s Paris Auto Show.

    Given that Hopium was founded by a former winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it’s no surprise that Machina is performance driven. Olivier Lombard, who won the LMP2 category at Le Mans in 2011, also had a stint as a development driver for H24’s hydrogen-powered prototype that will compete in future Le Mans races. “As a driver, I have developed a race car with hydrogen technology for years. That’s why I went for a performance car that also had range and took between three and four minutes to refuel,” Lombard, who is also Hopium’s CEO, told Ars Technica.

    Lombard delved deeper into the inspiration behind Machina. “When you’re a race car driver, you’re close to your car. You have to understand the car and feel every movement. We have the same close bond with Machina, whether it’s the behavior of the car on the road or the interactions inside, such as touches with haptic feedback,” he said.

    The Machina is an elegant sedan.
    enlarge / The Machina is an elegant sedan.

    Dhananjay Khadilkar

    According to Remi Voisin, a senior engineer at Hopium, Machina also stood out for its state-of-the-art fuel cell technology. “Our fuel cell is the most powerful fuel cell (200 kW peak power) ever produced, offering exclusive performance in terms of range, power and energy availability,” said Voisin.

    Voisin added that they aim to start production of Machina by late 2025 or early 2026.

    A tank and six pods

    For Paris-based NAMX (New automotive and mobility exploration), the motivation behind designing an SUV with detachable tanks was to find a new solution for hydrogen mobility. “Our CapXstore system costs much less than the cost of building a hydrogen filling station,” Thomas de Lussac, co-founder and head of design, told Ars Technica.

    The high-end NAMX ‘HUV’ (Hydrogen Utility Vehicle) will generate 550 horsepower (410 kW) and have a maximum speed of 250 km/h with a maximum range of 497 miles (800 km). Of that total, 311 miles (500 km) will be provided by the fixed main tank, while the car can travel an additional 186 miles (300 km) thanks to removable “CapX” capsules filled with hydrogen. “The NAMX HUV will have six such capsules, each with a range of 31 miles (50 km),” de Lussac said.

    • NAMX has gone for a more trendy SUV. In this case it is a HUV, as it is powered by hydrogen.

      Dhananjay Khadilkar

    • The HUV was designed by Pininfarina.

      Dhananjay Khadilkar

    • These are the HUV’s removable CapX hydrogen capsules. You can see the third rightmost capsule sticking out, ready to be replaced.

      Dhananjay Khadilkar

    He added that these CapX capsules can be redeemed at the CapXstores that the company plans to install in early 2026. “Our goal is to create a network of CapXstores where these capsules will be available. We plan to put a CapXstore every 45 km,” he said. He added that the capsules can be filled at hydrogen stations. However, NAMX will not produce its own hydrogen, but rather purchase it from existing commercial suppliers.

    De Lussac said their aim was to extend the concept beyond cars to all types of mobility, as well as boats and machineries.

    The other hydrogen-powered vehicles on display were a Citroën light van with a tank capacity of 4 kg, a range of 400 km and a refueling time of three minutes. “The van uses a hybrid system of hydrogen and battery power. The battery, which offers a range of 50 km, is charged by the fuel cell,” said Thierry Pinot of Stellantis to Ars Technica.

    Battery electric vans like the Ford e-Transit may be all the rage, but this is Citroen's hydrogen fuel cell EV van
    enlarge / Battery electric vans like the Ford e-Transit may be all the rage, but this is Citroen’s hydrogen fuel cell EV van

    Dhananjay Khadilkar

    According to Pinot, the hydrogen hybrid system ensures that the van has the same payload as its counterpart with a combustion engine.

    Finally, at the Paris Motor Show, there was also a concept car with a striking design called Alpenglow. Developed by French sports car manufacturer Alpine – essentially Renault’s sports division – it is a futuristic single-seater powered by a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.

    The Alpine Alpenglow concept is inspired by the Alpine A220. The driver sits in the middle, flanked on either side by a pair of 700 bar hydrogen tanks.
    enlarge / The Alpine Alpenglow concept is inspired by the Alpine A220. The driver sits in the middle, flanked on either side by a pair of 700 bar hydrogen tanks.

    Dhananjay Khadilkar

    Alpine says the Alpenglow “embodies the brand’s revival, in terms of design and technology” and that it “sets the tone as an inspiration for all future Alpine models.” That said, it’s not slated for production and while Alpine has plans for lightweight electric sports cars co-developed with Lotus, it would be surprising to see an Alpine with a hydrogen combustion engine on sale anytime soon, given its very low power and efficiency. that generate such engines.