Hopium Machina Alpha 0 is a high-performance sedan promising more than 620 miles of range and 500 horsepower.
Hopium is a French motor company and a part of the HMC Group, founded in 2019 by French racing driver Olivier Lombard. He was the youngest winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 category and has driven hydrogen-powered racing cars for 7 years. Consequently, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Lombard decided to develop cars using a technology he knows so well.
The manufacturer revealed the prototype, describing it as the first high-end vehicle powered by hydrogen. Coming straight to its performance figures (cuz that’s what we really care about, right?), Hopium Machina Alpha 0 is said to deliver 500 HP with a top speed of 143 mph. Hopium has advertised more than 620 miles of range and a refilling process that can be done in only 3 minutes.
On the outside, the Machina Alpha 0 looks like an interesting mix of other design features seen on other various modern vehicles. Indeed, the exterior lines are somewhat reminiscent of the Tesla Model S; the thin LED headlights are similar to Lexus, whereas the sleek vibe reminds us of the Porsche Taycan.
Interested customers can book their ride for a $490 deposit. As of now, the company will accept 1000 pre-orders and will use the capital to push the hydrogen sedan into the next stage of development.
Several automakers around the world have shown their interest in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Currently, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota are the only carmakers whose hydrogen-powered cars exist in the market. But neither the Hyundai Nexo nor the Toyota Mirai comes close to Hopium’s numbers in terms of horsepower and range.
Furthermore, BMW has also started testing the X5-based i Hydrogen Next on European streets. On its way to achieving zero tailpipe emissions, British firm Jaguar Land Rover is also building a hydrogen concept based on the new Defender.
While all these cars are also higher-end models, Hopium aims to lead the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle race with its Machina Alpha 0. We sure hope its production specs will match the numbers promised in the spec sheet when it officially gets unveiled in the first quarter of 2022.
To be continued.
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