Bridgestone to develop tires for hydrogen-powered sedan

PARIS—Hopium Inc., a Paris-based hydrogen-powered vehicle developer, has struck a deal with Bridgestone for the development of low rolling-resistance tires suited to the Hopium Machina, which is set to debut commercially in 2025.

The goal of the partnership, Hopium said, is to design tires that would help enhance the vehicles' targeted 620-mile driving range. The tires will be created using Bridgestone's proprietary Virtual Tyre Development technology, providing benefits in terms of both efficiency and sustainability.

The Hopium Machina, a four-door sedan, uses a fuel-cell system to generate electricity, which powers the vehicle's motors. Using such a system reduces the volume of the batteries necessary, a factor that contributes to the Machina's performance, Hopium claims.

The vehicle's fuel tank stores six kilograms of hydrogen, which can be loaded in just three minutes, according to Hopium.

The company, founded in 2019 by former professional racer Olivier Lombard, rates the Machina's power system at 500-plus horsepower and a top speed of 143 mph.

Lombard called the agreement with Bridgestone a "major milestone in our ambitious roadmap. With considerable expertise in designing tires and tire technologies for newer types of mobility, Bridgestone will surely bring valuable learnings to the partnership, helping us live up to the challenges ahead."

Steven De Bock, vice president, consumer replacement and OE, Bridgestone EMIA, added that the partnership "demonstrates our support for the next generation of innovative mobility pioneers. We're placing our recognized expertise at the service of a real game-changer in the field of zero-emission mobility and helping bring about a more sustainable future of mobility in the process."

Bridgestone said its involvement with Hopium falls under its E8 Commitment to to support the realization of a sustainable society by providing social and customer value throughout every area of its business and operations, together with partners.

Hopium founder and CEO Lombard pursued a racing career for the better part of a decade, scoring a class win at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2011 in a Greaves Motorsport Zyteck LMP2 prototype racer. He was involved as test driver for the Mission 24 project to develop a hydrogen-powered race car for the LeMans 24 Hour endurance race.

Hopium went public in early 2021.