WAE – the engineering offshoot of the Williams Formula 1 team – has revealed an architecture for “ultra-high performance” hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.
Named the EVRh, it follows the EVR architecture of last year, which was designed by the British firm to help low-volume sports car makers go battery-electric.
The EVRh combines a “cutting-edge” H2 fuel-cell system and a liquid-cooled battery pack. It’s capable of producing up to 576bhp and sprinting from 0-62mph in less than 2.5sec.
As such, WAE estimates that a car underpinned by it could lap the Nürburgring in less than 7min and 20sec.
Like the EVR, the EVRh is light. It’s designed to host a vast range of body types, including grand-touring coupés and even targa-tops.
Meanwhile, the battery can be rapid-charged at rates of up to 120 kW.
The EVRh has a mid-engined layout for an optimised centre of gravity and can support both rear-wheel and front-wheel drive configurations.
WAE claimed that the EVRh will allow brands to accelerate their entry into the hydrogen car market, reducing time and costs from development to market launch.
The EVR platform similarly aims to help smaller car makers enter the electric car market. Austrian start-up Deus, for example, is utilising the platform for its Vayanne hypercar, which is claimed to produce 2169bhp and 1475lb ft.
Williams presented the EVRh at Cenex LCV, an event for road-transport solutions aimed at achieving net-zero.
“Since its inception in 2010, WAE has been dedicated to innovating cutting-edge and transformative technologies across a variety of applications and industries,” said technical director Paul McNamara.
“EVRh is another key example of WAE’s capabilities in the development of solutions for zero-carbon vehicles, enabling state-of-the-art FCEVs to be brought to market rapidly and cost-effectively.”