I was finally able to drive in the first French hydrogen car. But you will never be able to get on board. A change of vision which will have allowed Hopium to move from a manufacturer of hydrogen cars to a manufacturer of fuel cells.
An exceptional car
Friday November 15 was a historic day for French and even European hydrogen. I had the privilege of boarding what was once the flagship of French hope in terms of a hydrogen-powered passenger car: the Hopium Machina. A unique, almost unreal experience, because this vehicle, symbol of a bygone ambition, will never be marketed to the general public. So yes, I'm already losing all hope. But don't panic, there is a lot to say and above all a lot of hope for the future.
The Hopium company promised to revolutionize the automotive sector with this elegant and high-performance sedan, powered by an innovative hydrogen fuel cell. The project had generated considerable enthusiasm, carried by a bold design by Félix Godard and the promise of clean and efficient mobility. I myself followed the first steps of this project with interest, particularly during its presentation with great fanfare at the 2022 auto show in Paris.
And two years later, I'm riding in it! The experience was intense, although brief. The hum of the fuel cell, far from the absolute silence sometimes imagined, was perceptible, amplified by the lack of soundproofing of the test vehicle. The 360 horses of the Machinawere fully felt on the speed ring of the Linas Monthléry circuit, despite the very bumpy surface. But I'll let you listen to the noise of this monster in Daily Tech.
Nostalgia in the air
In the end, it's a strange feeling, a mixture of exaltation in the face of technology and a taste for incompleteness in the face of an aborted destiny. Because Hopium Machina, as impressive as it is, is now a thing of the past. The company's strategy has changed dramatically. Exit the dream of the hydrogen car, make way for heavy mobility. Hopium is now focused on the development and commercialization of its fuel cell technology for applications in road, maritime and aviation transportation.
During this event on the Monthléry circuit, even if the star was more or less the Machina, there was at its side, the real star of the day: the 100 kW fuel cell, the beating heart of the new strategy of Hopium and above all, its advantage is its lightness and compactness compared to the competition.
The stated objective is clear: to offer a credible alternative to diesel for heavy vehicles by 2028-2030, thanks to a system composed of 100 kW unitsallowing performance to be increased tenfold. But above all to be ultra adaptable and able to convert any car, with a little space in the engine compartment all the same.
However, the future of Hopium is now taking shape far from passenger cars. The company focuses on niche markets, as illustrated by the K-Challenge maritime project, to finance the industrialization of its technology. It is also seeking a major industrial partner to support the construction of an automated assembly line at its Saint-Bonnet-de-Mure site, near Lyon, with a view to large-scale production.
Riding in the Machina was thus a rare privilege. An experience which allowed me to see the potential of hydrogen in the automotive sector, but also to note the rapid and sometimes merciless evolution of this market. La Machina, symbol of a broken dream, paradoxically becomes the standard bearer of a new ambition, that of carbon-free heavy mobility.
A bold bet, the outcome of which still remains uncertain. But one thing is certain: hydrogen, in one form or another, has a role to play in the energy transition. And the story of the Machina, as unique as it is, should become the spearhead of Hopium's communication. A finally concrete project to build on.
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