New Energies, new possibilities

The Hyperion XP-1, touted as the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell supercar, has recently landed in Las Vegas to the delight of onlookers, residents, and motorists alike. However, it came to celebrate the first virtual CES 2021 instead of attempting to break the speed barrier.The last time a supercar went to Vegas (and attempted a speed record run), it drew a ton of controversy. We’re talking about the SSC Tuatara, and it’s claimed two-way average run of 316.11 mph (508.73 kph) last October.

Meanwhile, Hyperion is taking it easy with its newest XP-1 supercar. Instead of ringing out every last ounce of power from its hydrogen fuel cells, the car was seen gallantly cruising past the historic Fountains of Bellagio and the Nevada desert. 

It’s hard to believe the Hyperion XP-1 started life as an educational tool. The car is wearing some funky camouflage in the video, but we’ve all seen the XP-1 sans its vinyl covering. It has a carbon monocoque frame with titanium-infused body panels to reduce weight. And since it has no battery pack, the XP-1 tips the scales at 2,275 pounds (1,248 kg), which is around 475 pounds less than SSC’s Tuatara.

The XP-1 has carbon-fiber tanks to store hydrogen, and the entire fuel cell supplies power to four electric motors, one for each wheel. Each motor pumps out 500 horsepower for a total output of 2,000 rampaging horses. With that much power, the XP-1 is a scorcher. It accelerates from zero to 60 mph in under 3.0-seconds and has a top speed of 221 mph. 

When you run out of juice, the XP-1 is as easy to fill up as a gasoline-powered car, provided there’s a hydrogen refilling station nearby. With a full tank (or full tanks) of hydrogen, the XP-1 achieves 1,016 miles (1,635 kilometers) of driving range. Theoretically, the XP-1 can probably go longer than that with its array of solar panels on the sweeping C-section behind the doors.

The Hyperion XP-1 is slated to go on sale in late 2022, with the first customer deliveries arriving in early 2023. The company is only making 300 examples of the XP-1 at a still undetermined base price.

Last summer, a Southern California-based company called Hyperion debuted a wild hydrogen-powered hypercar called the XP-1. The company referred to the XP-1 concept as an "educational tool," but there's more to it than that, it would seem, because it took the XP-1 for a spin on the streets of Las Vegas, according to a report published Friday by Motor1.

Now, in case you forgot, the Hyperion XP-1 is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered car that claims a 1,000-mile range per tank of hydrogen, 1,500 horsepower, a 0-60 time of around 2.2 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph. Rather interestingly, Hyperion claims there are no batteries on-board to store energy (as we see in the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo, for example), which reduces weight.Despite the lack of a physical CES show this year, Hyperion decided to go to Vegas anyway, and it drove the XP-1 up and down the Strip, as well as out in the desert. We don't have a great deal of detail on exactly how fast it went or what the company was doing in the desert, but it's interesting to see the car covered in camouflage, considering that it's already been seen without it.

Hyperion plans to offer the XP-1 for sale to the public starting in 2022, but with the bulk of the planned 300-vehicle production run slated for 2023.

Hyperion didn't immediately respond to Roadshow's request for comment.

January 13 (Renewables Now) - French automotive group Renault and US-based Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ:PLUG) will partner in the development and sale of hydrogen fuel cell-powered light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in Europe, targeting pilot fleet deployments in 2021.

The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to set up a 50/50 joint venture (JV) by the end of June, fuel cell systems maker Plug Power said on Tuesday. The JV will aim to seize an over 30% share of the European fuel cell-powered LCV market in Europe.

The France-based entity will set up an innovation centre to conduct research and development (R&D) and will have a manufacturing centre in France, which will also provide hydrogen refueling systems.

Research will be conducted based on Groupe Renault’s existing and future platforms and will initially target the heavy van segment.

“With Plug Power, we will build a unique end-to-end fuel cell value chain and offer turnkey solutions for customers including vehicles, refueling stations and decarbonized hydrogen delivery,” said Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault.

French automaker Groupe Renault and U.S.-based Plug Power PLUG +5.3%today announced a memorandum of understanding to create a stand alone joint venture that will develop, build and market electric fuel cell light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

The move is new evidence of growing momentum for a technology automakers once hoped would replace batteries as the power source for electric vehicles, only to fall out of favor due to concern over a lack of refueling infrastructure and safety surrounding the use of flammable hydrogen.

But Plug Power, headquartered in Latham, N.Y., outside Albany, has emerged as the leader in developing fuel cell systems, having deployed more than 40,000 such systems, and has built 110 hydrogen refueling stations. 

Fuel cell-powered Renault Master Z.E.light commercial vehicle. Renault and Latham, N.Y.-based Plug Power have formed a joint venture to produce and market fuel cell versions of the Master and Trafic for sale in Europe.

 ANTHONY BERNIER

That’s a big reason Renault decided to join forces with Plug Power as it looks to create fuel cell powered light commercial vehicles for business-to-business customers in Europe based on its Master and Trafic truck platforms.

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The other reason, said Renault’s executive vice president of engineering, is that while the goal is to meet strict European emission standards with electric vehicles, batteries simply aren’t up to the task for vehicles Gilles Le Borgne calls “kind of big animals” carrying payloads of more than four tons with 20 cubic meter volumes.

Gilles Le Borgne, Renault Executive Vice President, Engineering 

© YVES FORESTIER

“For those light commercial vehicles you really don’t have a solution with BEV because you would need a lot of battery on board, a lot of energy, more than 100 or 120 kilowatt hours and that doesn’t make any sense in terms of cost or in terms of weight,” said Le Borgne in an interview.  

Indeed, while sentiment has grown fairly cold for using fuel cells in passenger vehicles, Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh says the technology is a perfect fit when it’s not feasible to wait around for a battery to recharge, which is why the B2B market is embracing it.

“Really folks have been realizing in very intense applications where you want your asset always working, fast charging, fuel cells can fill up in 5-6 minutes, can get twice the range and you also have greater density for packaging,” said Marsh in an interview.

Andy Marsh, CEO, Plug Power

 PLUG POWER

The companies said the joint venture is expected to launch at the end of the first half of this year and will create an Innovation Center in France. The target is to capture more than 30% of the fuel cell-powered European light commercial vehicle market. 

Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault

 AUGUSTIN DETIENNE

“This joint-venture project is fully aligned with our strategy to offer market ready H2 solution for LCVs,” said Renault CEO Luco de Meo in a release. “With Plug Power, we will build a unique end-to-end fuel cell value chain and offer turnkey solutions for customers including vehicles, refueling stations and decarbonized hydrogen delivery.”

Specifically, the JV will:

• Establish a “vertically integrated” fuel cell stack and system manufacturing center in France that will also provide hydrogen refueling stations.
• Create a hydrogen vehicle “eco-solution company” offering to customers vehicles, hydrogen and hydrogen fueling stations.
• Commercialize fuel cell LCVs in Europe later this year with a pilot fleet

“It will be a full holistic service we offer our customer,” said Le Borgne. 

Renault Trafic, light commercial vehicle.

 JEAN-BRICE LEMAL

For Plug Power, the deal with Renault comes less than a week after announcing a $1.5 billion investment in the company by SK Group, a South Korean business group. In the Jan. 6 announcement, the companies said they are forming a “strategic partnership to accelerate hydrogen as an alternative energy source” in Asian markets and are forming a joint venture by 2022 to support those markets. 

SK is making its investment in Plug Power through the purchase of about 51.4 million shares of common stock. 

Terms of the deal with Groupe Renault are not being disclosed at this time, according to a spokesman. Santander Corporate & Investment Banking acted as the sole financial advisor to Plug Power.

It all amounts to new energy for fuel cells—not as competitor to batteries, but as an additional and necessary source of electric power more suitable for certain applications says Plug Power’s Andy Marsh, because “when I look at the world, the world is going electric.”

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLDP) today announced a purchase order from Arcola Energy ("Arcola"; www.arcolaenergy.com), a U.K.-based leader in hydrogen and fuel cell integration specializing in zero-emission solutions for heavy-duty vehicles and transport applications, for Ballard FCmoveTM-HD fuel cell modules to power a passenger train planned for demonstration during COP26, to be hosted by Glasgow City in November 2021. This project will contribute to Scotland's goal for net zero emissions by 2035.  

Class 314 car passenger train (CNW Group/Ballard Power Systems Inc.)

Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the Hydrogen Accelerator, based at the University of St. Andrews, have appointed Arcola and a consortium of industry leaders in hydrogen fuel cell integration, rail engineering and functional safety to deliver Scotland's first hydrogen-powered train. The consortium will convert a Class 314 car passenger train, made available by ScotRail, into a deployment-ready and certified platform for hydrogen-powered train development. The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway will provide engineering facilities and support for testing and public demonstrations. 

Dr. Ben Todd, CEO of Arcola Energy said, "Hydrogen traction power offers a safe, reliable and zero-carbon alternative for Scotland's rail network. The hydrogen train project is an excellent opportunity for industry leaders in hydrogen, rail engineering and safety to collaborate with Scottish and other technology providers to develop a deployment ready solution."

Rob Campbell, Ballard Chief Commercial Officer noted, "Ballard is delighted to work with Arcolaand other consortium members on the development of Scotland's first fuel cell-powered train. This project is an example of the growing global interest in fuel cells for the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Motive market, including rail applications, where heavy payload, long range and rapid refueling are key customer requirements." 

About Ballard Power SystemsBallard Power Systems' (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) vision is to deliver fuel cell power for a sustainable planet. Ballard zero-emission PEM fuel cells are enabling electrification of mobility, including buses, commercial trucks, trains, marine vessels, passenger cars and forklift trucks. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning anticipated market adoption of fuel cell products. These forward-looking statements reflect Ballard's current expectations as contemplated under section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any such forward-looking statements are based on Ballard's assumptions relating to its financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand. 

These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Ballard's actual results to be materially different, including general economic and regulatory changes, detrimental reliance on third parties, successfully achieving our business plans and achieving and sustaining profitability. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors that could affect Ballard's future performance, please refer to Ballard's most recent Annual Information Form. Readers should not place undue reliance on Ballard's forward-looking statements and Ballard assumes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as required under applicable legislation.

SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.