Viritech Apricale: Hydrogen at the Service of Performance

The family of exotic supercars is expanding. This time, the new arrival comes from England. It’s called Viritech Apricale and features a hydrogen-powered engine.

Currently exhibited at Goodwood, the Apricale was designed by Pininfarina, who evidently has a strong interest in this type of project. It is the result of a project initiated in January 2021 by Viritech. Little known to the general public, this English company claims to have already built 2 prototypes to test its various technologies.

More than 1000 hp

The Apricale features 2 electric motors (one on each axle), delivering a combined power of 800 kW (1087 hp). In theory, the car can travel 560 km between refills. Hydrogen is stored in tanks directly integrated into the carbon structure. This choice, which can only be made using resistant materials, helps to limit the weight of the car. And apparently, it works, as the Apricale is said to weigh less than one ton. Viritech has prioritized weight reduction to make the car more dynamic than a typical electric supercar.

The Apricale also has a battery, but with a capacity of 6 kWh, which does not add excessive weight. It stores electricity generated by the regenerative braking system and provides additional energy to the motors during high demand.

Viritech is about to build a first pre-series Apricale. The plan then calls for production to begin at the end of 2023, in Pininfarina’s workshops. 25 units are scheduled to roll off the assembly lines, each costing approximately 1.5 million pounds before tax, or 1.75 million euros. Deliveries are expected to start in early 2024.

Several projects in the pipeline

The Apricale supercar is not the only vehicle Viritech is working on. An SUV, a truck, and a hydrogen helicopter are also in development. It remains to be seen whether the company will actually succeed in completing these projects.

Read also: Deus Vayanne: a 2200 hp electric supercar