Output from the fuel cell is 30kW, well short of the 80-plus kW generated by other stacks. But at only 850kg, the Hy-Light doesn’t need the same power output as other prototype vehicles, says Philipp Dietrich, program manager on the Hy-Light project. “If you have a vehicle that is 1,600 kilos, then you need more power. We get the same performance with half the output.”

The weight reduction also gives the four-seater a 400 km range, about twice other hydrogen prototypes. And despite limited output from the stack, the Hy-Wire boasts a 0-100 km/h time under 12 seconds thanks to the use of supercapacitors that boost peak output another 45 kW. “During braking, you can regenerate a battery or supercapacitors. But then when do you want this energy? Usually you will use it when you want to accelerate quickly. This is the benefit of the supercapacitors,” says Dietrich.

Edouard Michelin, managing partner for
Michelin Group.

This wheel configuration gives Michelin a prime opportunity to highlight its active wheel technology into the system, providing vehicle drive comfort, handling and stability as well as allowing drivers to control vehicle behavior when breaking and turning.

Hy-Light is not intended to be a production-vehicle project, but instead a demonstration of feasibility from a clean sheet of paper. Much like GM’s Hy-wire, the Hy-Light illustrates strong differences in vehicle configuration that can be exploited with a fuel cell as the powertrain.

Michelin produced the wheel motors that propel the Hy-Light.