Hopium Machina: 10,000 Hydrogen Cars for Crédit Agricole

Shown at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, the hydrogen-powered sedan Hopium Machina received an order for 10,000 units from Crédit Agricole.

Facing Stellantis and its brands Peugeot or DS, an unknown player stood firm with a mysterious booth. In a very sober, gray, let’s say sanitized space, a prototype of the Hopium Machina was displayed on a pedestal.

A huge order for a new manufacturer

Founded by Olivier Lombard, this French manufacturer aims to build the high-end French hydrogen car. The Hopium Machina Vision concept has thus moved from concept to reality at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, along with a protocol agreement promising a future. CA Consumer Finance, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole group, expects the delivery of 10,000 vehicles.

“We are proud to support a French hydrogen vehicle manufacturer like Hopium” declares Stéphane Priami, CEO of Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance, and thus contribute to the transformation towards green mobility, with Crédit Agricole aiming to become the leader in France and Europe.” Hopium also specifies that it intends to “recommend financing offers to its individual and professional clients” from CA Consumer Finance.

“This allows us to strengthen the commercial strategy with a forecasted order of 1.2 billion euros confides Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Chairman of Hopium’s Board of Directors, “this is part of the French and European industrial renewal in the production of clean vehicles”.

The Hopium Machina car not before 2025

The hydrogen sedan is currently only a prototype. Because to launch the project, the company needed to gather the necessary funds and partners. This has been done with Crédit Agricole, but also on an industrial level. Hopium confirmed that its factory would open in Douains, near Vernon (Eure). The first Machina will only be available at best by the end of 2025, after the site is built, which aims for 20,000 vehicles per year.

However, Hopium Machina has already opened its pre-orders. The French car is available at a price of €120,000, with a reservation fee of €656. Why €656? Because it is the wavelength (in nm) of the hydrogen atom.

Also read: The BMW hydrogen car ready by the end of 2022