TURIN – Topping up a hydrogen-powered car may one day be even more convenient than today's refueling experience for gasoline- and diesel-powered models.
That is the future that a European-African startup envisions and that Italian design and engineering firm Pininfarina has given shape to.
The NamX HUV concept comes with a fuel cell system that promises 500 km (310 miles) of range from the hydrogen stored in its main tank, plus an additional 300 km from six swappable capsules that fit in the rear below the trunk.
The idea is that empty capsules can be exchanged at the existing fuel station network -- as well as at department stores -- so the driver can add range if it's not possible to refill the main hydrogen tank.
NamX co-founders Faouzi Annajah and Thomas de Lussac plan to unveil the HUV, short for hydrogen utility vehicle, at the Paris auto show in October.
The HUV is part of a large-scale industrial and technological project the aims to help accommodate the shift to "green" hydrogen to reduce vehicle emissions.