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HYVIA: Official partner of BWT Alpine F1 Team 2022 and Smart & Sustainable Mobility Forum at the Formula 1 Grand Prix de France.
It could be said that from 22-24 July, the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, was a HYVIA (hive!) of activity during ‘La Summer Race’ at the French Grand Prix. A new partnership was formed between Renault Group, BWT Alpine F1 Team and team sponsors Plug to promote HYVIA, a new way forward for carbon-free mobility via hydrogen mobility solutions. At the circuit, the Alpine A522 race car proudly displayed the logo of HYVIA.
Commenting on the newly formed alliance, David Holderbach, CEO HYVIA (pictured), said: “This partnership embodies the strong links between Renault Group, BWT Alpine F1 Team and Plug, as well as their common investment in high-end technology and the transition to low-carbon mobility, with a major anchorage in France. This is a first step towards a future collaboration between HYVIA and BWT Alpine F1 Team for its logistic needs.”
HYVIA was also the official partner of the Smart & Sustainable Mobility Forum 2022, organised by the Formula 1 Grand Prix de France on the Circuit Paul Ricard between Formula 1 practice sessions on the Friday. Participants in the forum included David Holderbach, contributing on the topic ‘Fuelling the Future with Hydrogen’ which addressed the challenges of hydrogen (H2) mobility.
The 120 attendees heard of hydrogen’s growing momentum in the automotive industry with details on the investment in research, development, product, infrastructure and services. “There are five major projects in France alone covering these areas,” said Thomas Morel, Director, McKinsey, who moderated the seminar. Both Germany and France are leading the way forward, with significant investment and financial incentives directed towards this zero-emission technology. Laurent Benoit, CEO UTAC, highlighted that to achieve Euro 7 emission targets, battery electric and/or hydrogen power will be needed allied to the combustion engine. He also said that H2 will provide extended range distance when hybridised to these powertrains.
Top level motorsport will be heading down this road (or circuit) too, according to Pierre-Jean Tardy, Alpine F1, with sustainable fuels, fuel cell, battery electric powering the race cars - “No one system will work and there are different usages,” he said.
On the subject of cost, David said that in the not too distant future, the production costs will come down to meet combustion engine levels and that with the total cost of ownership very low, the value and environmental benefits of hydrogen will shine through. The point was also made that the production and supply of hydrogen and its engineering creates a much lower footprint than any of the alternative fuels and energy available today.
Also present at the meeting was Éric Boullier, General Director GIP Grand Prix de France – Le Castellet, who said: “The Formula 1 Grand Prix de France was pleased to organise for the second
consecutive year this Forum dedicated to the mobility of tomorrow. This moment of discussion was an opportunity to recall that motorsport is a wonderful laboratory for transferring technologies from the track to the road, with the aim of safer and more sustainable mobility.”
“As leader in hydrogen solutions, Plug shares the values of high-technology excellence with BWT Alpine F1 Team and with HYVIA. Plug already brings its expertise to HYVIA on fuel cells, H2 refuelling stations and electrolyzers,” added Andy Marsh, CEO Plug.
Through this event, HYVIA, Renault Group, BWT Alpine F1 Team, Plug and the Grand Prix de France reinforced their respective commitments to sustainable mobility. HYVIA exhibited the Renault Master Van H2-TECH, its H2 refuelling station and a fuel cell prototype, highlighting its complete and unique hydrogen ecosystem.
“Renault Group has strong ambitions in Formula 1 with BWT Alpine F1 Team, and in hydrogen mobility with HYVIA, the joint venture we created with Plug. Complementary to our electric offer, hydrogen provides a promising carbon free mobility alternative to support the energy transition,” stated Luca de Meo, CEO Renault Group.
HYVIA offers a range of three hydrogen powered Renault Master H2-TECH vehicles (Van, Chassis Cab and City Bus)
“One year after its creation, HYVIA begins the launch of three hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicles with a complete and unique H2 ecosystem. It is a major human, technological and industrial challenge that we share with Renault Group, Plug and BWT Alpine F1 Team,” David stated.
hyvIa - what It MEaNS?
“HY” for hydrogen, “VIA” for road: HYVIA paves a new way forward for carbon-free mobility, with hydrogen mobility solutions. Created in June 2021, HYVIA is a joint venture equally owned by Renault Group, a dominant player in the global automotive industry, and Plug, the US headquartered world leader in hydrogen and fuel cell solutions.
Based in France, for European markets, HYVIA offers a complete and unique ecosystem that includes light commercial vehicles with fuel cells, hydrogen refuelling stations, supply of carbon-free hydrogen, services for financing and maintenance of fleets. Plug, formerly Plug Power, has developed over 50,000 fuel cell systems. It has designed and built 160 refuelling stations that dispense more than 70 tons of hydrogen daily, and is a technology leader in green hydrogen solutions via electrolysis. Present in Europe for more than 10 years, Plug has been a significant hydrogen mobility provider with key European industrials, logistics customers and vehicle manufacturers.
HYVIA getting hydrogen message across at three main exhibitions across Europe
After participating in World Hydrogen 2022 in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and HyVolution in Paris (France), HYVIA concluded a trio of exhibitions at the Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Europe exhibition in Hannover (Germany).
According to David Holderbach, CEO HYVIA, these are three strategic markets for HYVIA, which is aiming for a 30% market share in hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in Europe by 2030 with the launch of the Renault Master H2-TECH: a van, a chassis cab and a bus carrying up to 15 passengers. “Three markets highly invested in hydrogen mobility, three markets where the key players in the hydrogen sector are bursting with ideas and initiatives, three markets where our HYVIA ecosystem makes sense,” he said.
Behind HYVIA is the Renault Group and Plug Power, which together offer a complete ecosystem for driving on hydrogen: a range of hydrogen-powered LCVs, an H2 refuelling station, the production of green hydrogen by electrolyser, as well as fleet management and maintenance solutions.
rENauLt MaStEr vaN h2-tEch
ON thE rOaD frOM MID-2022
The Renault Master Van H2-TECH answers the needs of businesses, fleets, and local authorities. It is a 3.5tonne GVW panel van for the transport of goods and packages, with a loading volume of 12 m3 and a range of up to 500 km. It is equipped with a 30 kW fuel cell, a 33 kWh battery and tanks containing 6 kg of hydrogen (4 tanks of 1.5 kg). “Master Van H2-TECH is expected to be on European roads from mid-2022,” added David.
DrIvINg ON hyDrOgEN wIth thE hyvIa EcOSyStEM
Hydrogen mobility is particularly appropriate today for light commercial vehicles, enabling extended range for high loads and intensive use. The HYVIA range of hydrogen-powered LCVs with zero CO2 emissions can be refuelled in just 5 minutes. It includes a panel van version with a loading volume of 12 m3 (Master Van H2-TECH), a chassis cab version with a large volume of 20 m3 (Master Chassis Cab H2-TECH) and a minibus that can carry up to 15 passengers (Master City Bus H2-TECH). HYVIA also offers H2 refuelling station, the production of low-carbon hydrogen, maintenance, and fleet management solutions.
Aftermarket back-up will be supplied by the pan-European Renault Pro+ light commercial network, with highly trained technicians proving the maintenance and service when needed.
hyvIa: a frENch BraND Of hIgh tEchNOLOgy
HYVIA is based in France on four sites. The head office, engineering and R&D centre are located in Villiers-SaintFrédéric, while the Renault Master is produced at the Batilly plant. Electric and hydrogen integration is provided by PVI, a Renault Group subsidiary, at GretzArmainvilliers. Finally, the HYVIA plant in Flins assembles and tests fuel cells based on Plug Power’s leading technology. At the end of 2022, the plant will also start assembling H2 refuelling stations and the production of low-carbon hydrogen with a first 1MW electrolyzer.
