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Viritech unveils new hydrogen ‘hypercar’

13/7/2022

Viritech’s hydrogen hypercar Photo: Viritech
Viritech’s hydrogen hypercar offers a vision of a zero emissions performance future for motoring

Photo: Viritech

Viritech recently unveiled the new Apricale fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, claiming it to be the world’s first zero emission hypercar to achieve weight parity with petrol-engined competitors.

The cleantech engineering company says first deliveries of a limited series of the 1,000 bhp hypercar, styled by Pininfarina and weighing less than 1,000 kg, are scheduled for early 2024.

 

Until now, hydrogen has presented a key weight problem in electric vehicles (EVs). To withstand the 700 bar pressure, most hydrogen storage tanks have a weight efficiency of only around 5% (ie 5 kg of hydrogen requires a 100 kg storage tank). Viritech’s engineers developed patent pending technology that uses lightweight composites and a graphene-enabled resin system, allowing the tanks to form part of the structural element of the Apricale monocoque design. This solution minimises weight, improves packaging and provides a projected range of over 350 miles (560 kms) before refuelling, says the Nuneaton, UK-based company.

 

Matt Faulks, Viritech’s Chief Technology Officer, comments: ‘Hydrogen fuel cells have, until now, been used as range extenders for powertrains with batteries at their heart. We’ve essentially turned that approach on its head, developing a powertrain around a multi-hundred kW fuel cell system supported by a lightweight but highly efficient battery. This delivers hypercar performance for Apricale, but at less than half the weight of typical BEV [battery electric vehicle] hypercars.’

 

He continues: ‘Not only does this reduction in weight transform Apricale’s driving dynamics, but our reduced reliance on batteries means less demand on rare earth minerals.’

 

Polestar launches global design contest
Meanwhile, the Swedish EV performance car manufacturer Polestar has launched its 2022 Design Contest. The brief is to design a vehicle (not necessarily a car) that is about the experience of ‘performance’ in a sustainable way. Aspiring designers, be they professional or student, must submit their initial designs by 31 August 2022. Two winners will be crowned – one for interior and one for exterior design.

 

Previous winning designs have included a car which tackles local pollution with onboard and externally visible air filters, an electric-and-helium airship, prosthetic springboard blades for walking and a luxury yacht that ‘exuded Polestar’s minimalistic design tonality’.

 

Octopus launches an ‘all-you-need’ EV package
Octopus Electric Vehicles has launched an all-you-need EV package in the UK, which is also to be extended to the US.

 

Drivers in the UK will have their new EV, charging solution (including free charger), maintenance and breakdown cover all on one bill. The package also includes access to a flexible energy tariff – Intelligent Octopus – that Octopus says has a low-cost window of six hours, during which the green electricity costs just 7.5p/kWh between 23:30–05:30.

 

The new package will guide customers through the whole experience, with EV experts helping drivers pick the right car for their needs. Octopus has also pre-ordered popular EVs to help drivers beat long lead times. Drivers will receive 5,000 free miles on the electricity tariff. If they don’t have access to home charging, they will instead receive 5,000 free miles on Octopus’s public charging network, Electric Juice Network, with access to 250,000 chargers across Europe. The company claims the new offering could save drivers up to £3,775 off their petrol bill over three years, while helping to balance the grid.

 

Octopus Electric Vehicles is also launching in the US, one year after Octopus Energy US opened in Houston to provide affordable, renewable energy to Texan homes. Octopus Electric Vehicles has launched a personal leasing product, EVConcierge, to help accelerate EV adoption in Texas and across the US.