Plastic Omnium, which provides carmakers with innovative solutions for more connected and sustainable mobility, has announced a partnership with Hopium, the French manufacturer of high-end hydrogen cars, to develop the hydrogen storage system for the future Hopium Māchina.
Olivier Lombard, the youngest winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans, founded Hopium, a manufacturer of high-end hydrogen-powered vehicles, as an achievement resulting from his experience acquired on the racing circuits. The company brings together a team of experts and leading partners at the forefront of innovation in the fields of hydrogen fuel cells, technology and automotive engineering.
Announced last October, Hopium Māchina aims to be the first French hydrogen-powered sedan to hit the market in 2026. The prototype to be unveiled next month will be equipped with a 700-bar Type IV (composite high-pressure vessel comprising a thermoplastic liner reinforced with a carbon-fibre shell winding) vessel made by Plastic Omnium in its Herentals plant (Belgium).
Building on this initial collaboration, both the companies have established a partnership to develop the Hopium Māchina hydrogen storage system for the production series. Based on almost 40 patents and a range of in-house developed, certified hydrogen storage vessels, Plastic Omnium will provide Hopium with a prototype high-pressure Type IV hydrogen vessel for testing. This new generation will be optimally integrated into the vehicle chassis, enabling Hopium to maximise the quantity of hydrogen stored and achieve its ambitious 1,000-kilometer target range.
Laurent Favre, Chief Executive Officer, Plastic Omnium, said, 'With Hopium, we are convinced of hydrogen's major role in tomorrow's sustainable mobility. Plastic Omnium is proud to provide its expertise in hydrogen technologies and help develop the Hopium Māchina storage system, an innovative project for low-carbon mobility.'
Olivier Lombard, Chairman & CEO, Hopium, said, 'As the first 100% hydrogen car manufacturer, Hopium stands at the forefront of green technologies. This partnership with Plastic Omnium shows our desire to collaborate with a key hydrogen mobility player to develop the Māchina, a new generation of zero-emission vehicle.'
Image courtesy: Hopium