Still in receivership, Hopium has announced the successful completion of initial tests on its 100 kW fuel cell. These preliminary characterisation tests focused on sealing, electrode polarisation and physical dimensions.

The core of the fuel cell (stack) meets the compactness criteria of Hopium: a weight of 30 kg (including end plates and clamping system) and a cell thickness (bipolar plates and membranes) of less than 1 mm. This is the first time that precise figures have been released.

These initial and encouraging results have enabled the company to confirm its development schedule. The next step is to announce the results of the fuel cell bench tests before the end of July, followed by road tests in real-life conditions in the autumn, with the first fuel cells going on the market in early 2025.

“We are delighted with these initial results, which come as no surprise to us thanks to the studies and tests carried out on our digital twins,” comments Stéphane Rabatel, CEO of Hopium. He continues: “Our fuel cell is now on the test bench to test all of its functions and, above all, its resistance, with a gradual increase in power expected over the next few days. These factory approval tests on our bench will enable us to validate all the expected performances and pass the bench test milestone. However, our teams are already preparing for the next decisive stage, the real-life road test.

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Mariem Ben Tili