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In France, we have no oil but ... we have the first hydrogen boat in the world
In France, we have no oil but we have ... a real penchant for hydrogen. Praised by the government , energy is on the rise in France and we are seeing a proliferation of projects such as Hopium , a hydrogen sedan or, quite recently, The New Era. The first pleasure boat in the world with electro-hydrogen propulsion, the latter is as much a small feat as a great promise to sail more cleanly.
Lighter than electric. Worn by entrepreneur and skipper Chloé Zaied, The New Era has just been baptized in the port of Marseille. 12 meters long, this yacht of a new era (dixit) is powered by two 150 kilowatt engines (around 400 horsepower in all) powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Lighter than an electric battery, this engine allows a cruising speed of 15 knots (about 27 km / h) and a maximum speed of 25 (about 46 km / h).
In addition to its cleanliness and quiet operation, the choice of hydrogen was imposed on the startup Hynova (founded by the skipper mentioned above) for its speed of recharging. In terms of range, the brand is advancing 44 nautical miles, which represents around 80 kilometers. Not bad, especially since the ship can carry 12 people on board.
Made in France. Made in La Ciotat, and expected to be mass-produced soon, The New Era has not yet announced a price. Whatever it is, we can bet that the object will meet its audience, carried by the French attraction for hydrogen. As a reminder, in September 2020, the government detailed its investment plan of 7 billion euros by 2030 to develop the hydrogen sector in the country and thus become a global heavyweight in the sector. As on the sea, the horizon is straight ahead.
