Mexican Media Brands
Gumpert Readies Methanol Fuel Cell-Powered Supercar
The $455,000 Nathalie has a 500-mile range and can rocket from zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds
Share
Gumpert Aiways, a German-Chinese startup led by former Audi engineering guru Roland Gumpert, plans to launch its $455,000 fuel cell-powered Nathalie supercar early next year.
An updated version of the 2018 concept was unveiled this week. Production will be limited to 500 units.
Methanol Power
The car’s unique 15-kW fuel cell stack converts methanol into hydrogen to generate electricity. This eliminates the need to create a separate hydrogen refueling infrastructure, as is required with current fuel cell cars.
Instead, the Nathalie can run on commercially available methanol. Gumpert says the car’s 17.2-gallon tank can be refueled in three minutes to provide a 510-mile range.
As for its supercar bona fides, Nathalie’s four electric motors generate a combined 536 hp and can propel the vehicle from zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds. Top speed is listed at 186 mph.
The car’s lightweight design teams carbon fiber with flax-based biomaterials. New features added since the 2018 concept include scissor-styled upward opening doors.
RELATED CONTENT
-
On Electric Pickups, Flying Taxis, and Auto Industry Transformation
Ford goes for vertical integration, DENSO and Honeywell take to the skies, how suppliers feel about their customers, how vehicle customers feel about shopping, and insights from a software exec
-
Electrically Improving Powertrains
The good news about downsized powertrains is that they can provide greatly improved fuel efficiency compared to larger engines. The not-so-good news for many drivers of cars with these smaller engines under the hood is that they can lack performance.
-
On Ford Maverick, Toyota Tundra Hybrid, and GM's Factory Footprint
GM is transforming its approach to the auto market—and its factories. Ford builds a small truck for the urban market. Toyota builds a full-size pickup and uses a hybrid instead of a diesel. And Faurecia thinks that hydrogen is where the industry is going.
