Pininfarina H2 Speed - hydrogen sports car revealed at Geneva

The Pininfarina H2 Speed hydrogen-powered sports car concept has been revealed at the Geneva motor show.

The H2 Speed, described as being “halfway between a competition prototype and a production supercar", uses similar technical underpinnings to the Green GT H2 racing car, albeit clothed in Pininfarina’s distinctive body.

It is driven by two electric synchronous motors with permanent magnets. With maximum power of 496bhp, the car is capable of 0-62mph acceleration of 3.4sec. The power is sent to the rear wheels and the H2 Speed uses torque vectoring to optimise performance. The concept also features a brake energy recuperation system.

The H2 Speed is 4700mm long, 2000mm wide and 1087mm high, with a wheelbase of 2900mm. It weighs 1420kg.

The hydrogen fuel tanks are located along the sides of the car and faired in, as opposed to being completely enclosed, so as not to add excess weight to the body structure. A window in the rear of the fairing enables access to the filling cap for the tanks. Refuelling is said to take three minutes.

Two large radiators mounted at the front are fed by the air scoops and cool the fuel cell block. A central duct between the radiators channels air along the sides of the cabin and cools the motors.

Pininfarina says the powertrain has taken two years to develop and test, and claims that the H2 Speed is “the first hydrogen high-performance track car in the world.”

According to the company, the sound of the vehicle has a different tone from that of current conventional electric cars. The sound has been put down to the use of its compressor technology, creating an almost silent drive, with futuristic-sounding whistles.

The company behind the hydrogen fuel cell power unit, Green GT, has specialised in the design, production and development of sustainable propulsion systems and high power performances since 2008.

Danni Bagnall