This hydrogen car is aiming for record mileage on a single tank
Published on May 18, 2023 at 11:19 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 22, 2023 at 10:44 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
This is the Eco-Runner, a quirky-looking hydrogen car that aims to set the world record for the longest distance driven without refueling.
The Eco-Runner can travel up to 2,000+ km (1,240+ miles) on a tank, this means it could theoretically drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas and back on a single tank.
READ MORE: First look at the beautiful new hydrogen-powered Alpine Alpenglow
The car was designed by a team of students at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and it took a long time to complete.
This is actually the latest of a series of prototypes.
The upcoming Eco-Runner XIII (pictured below)
The first prototype dubbed Eco-Runner I was launched in 2005, and the university spent the last two decades perfecting the project.
The University documents progress with regular updates across social media and in a blog.
And in the latest blog post, the students explain that managing energy loss and reducing weight is the biggest challenge.
“The body department focused on creating an aeroshell that was as lightweight as possible without breaking,” the blog post reads.
They ditched steel whenever and wherever possible and replaced it with carbon fiber, and they created a single-piece bubble-shaped structure to reduce the weight even further.
The result is outstanding: the car only weighs 147 pounds – or 67 kilograms.
The team will attempt to set a new record in June, with a targeted distance of 1,276 miles (2,055 km).
This is of course just a prototype and it’s still far from looking and driving like a ‘normal’ car.
Aside from the bubble shape, it has a top speed of just 15.5 mph (25 km/h), which makes it too slow for the real world, and basically no interior.
Having said that, automakers have tried figuring out a way to use hydrogen fuel cells instead of batteries for their EVs for a while now.
It never really caught on and, at the time of writing, there are a handful of hydrogen cars on the market.
Hopefully, independent projects such as the Eco-Runner will play their part.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
