Hopium Machina: hydrogen car with a range of 1,000 kilometers

Hopium is an ambitious French start-up that manages to attract attention not with an electric hypercar or with a sporty SUV, but with an electric sedan with a fuel cell on board: the Machina. In 2020 we were introduced to the Hopium Machina for the first time, the first creation of Hopium founder and former racing driver Olivier Lombard. It was quiet around the Machina for a long time, but now it is finally known when the car will make its public debut.

The Hopium Machina will make its debut in October at the Paris Motor Show. There is not much information about the Machina yet, although we do know that the car is electrically powered and has a fuel cell on board that is responsible for the energy supply. The Hopium Machina must be able to achieve a range of 1,000 kilometers. The electric powertrain would be good for 500 horsepower. The hydrogen tanks can store up to 6 kilos of hydrogen. The top speed of the Machina should be 230 km/h. Hopium works together with Bridgestone, among others, for tires with an extra low rolling resistance. It describes the Machina as a Premium High End sedan and that of course indicates that the colossus is sinking its teeth into the higher echelons of the car market.

Hopium Machine

The Hopium’s interior has two bucket seats in the rear and a dashboard that mainly consists of a partly recessed display that runs across the entire width. The screen slides up if desired to display more features. Striking is the line that runs from the rear door panels through the window pillars and even the rear window. Similarly, a line runs from the front door panels around the dashboard of the Machina. Also striking is the large center tunnel that is connected to the rest of the cockpit by means of a fairly flat center console. In September 2021, Hopium indicated that it had already received 1,000 orders for the €120,000 Machina. The company says it expects to have $1 billion in annual revenue from around 2030.