Contrary to its chemical properties, hydrogen has been a slow-burner in the car industry so far. Only a few manufacturers have actually created cars powered by the fuel but Alpine could be looking to change that, starting with the Alpenglow Hy4.
If that name sounds familiar then you’d be right. Back in 2022 Alpine unveiled the Alpenglow concept – a striking hypercar powered by hydrogen. The Alpenglow Hy4 is also a concept, but Alpine claims it’s a rolling model and will be shown-off to the public prior to the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps endurance race.
The Alpenglow Hy4 features a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 340bhp and a maximum of 7,000rpm. It’s powered exclusively by hydrogen stored in three tanks located in the side pods and behind the cabin. Power is sent through a sequential gearbox and Alpine claims a top speed of 167mph. The ‘Hy4’ name comes from ‘hydrogen’ and ‘4-cylinder’. Alpine claims it will present an all-new V6 engine powered by hydrogen before the end of the year in a second working version of the Alpenglow.
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This concept’s exterior is similar to the 2022 Alpenglow concept with a few tweaks coming in the form of a larger cabin (now accommodating two seats), raised ride height, wider track and a new roof scoop to help with cooling. The Alpenglow utilises an LMP3 carbon chassis with carbon material also used for the bodywork. Alpine says the four-cylinder engine ‘roars’ thanks to a set of vertically stacked titanium exhaust tips.
Although we can’t see them here, the Alpenglow features butterfly-style doors and inside there are moulded bucket seats with a racing steering wheel adorned with switches and a small screen embedded within it. The bright triangle ahead of the occupants changes colour and can display various readouts like speed or g-forces.
Alpine says it’s still looking into hydrogen power and how it can be integrated into cars while its Alpine Racing motorsport outfit is “paying close attention to changes in competition regulations”, noting the authorisation of hydrogen-powered cars from the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans. Alpine’s parent company Renault says “the hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine is a tremendously promising solution for racing and road use”.
Do hydrogen-powered cars have a future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section…