Hydrogen on Ice at Val Thorens

The Val Thorens ice circuit hosts a series-produced vehicle running on hydrogen from February 5 to March 17.

Nothing proves better than Europe’s highest ice circuit that the hydrogen solution works perfectly, even in extreme conditions, and autonomously. The vehicle provided by Hyundai refuels with hydrogen at the Hympulsion station in Moutiers before returning to its base camp at 2,200 meters altitude.

During a endurance record set in December 2021, this Hyundai Nexo demonstrated its ability to drive on the ice circuit for 6 hours on a single hydrogen fill. A technological solution implemented for several years in Paris on a fleet of taxis, hydrogen has moved from prototype stables to accessible products for everyone.

Olivier PIGNON, Director of the Val Thorens Ice Circuit: “The Val Thorens ice circuit has been around for 35 years. We are the first to have chosen hydrogen, certainly because we are in a pioneering region in this field and because we believe in progress while loving automobiles. We initially conducted an experiment with the endurance record, and now we want to offer our clients the opportunity to experience this future technology. On the one hand, it signals that it is possible to evolve our activity towards a more environmentally friendly solution, and it is also pragmatic because we do not experience any loss of autonomy with the hydrogen solution, unlike batteries.”

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