Hydrogen tricycle: VUF Bikes and Pragma Industries rewarded for the “VUF H2”.

On May 24, 2023, during the 4th edition of the Hydrogenics Competition: the Hydrogen Trophies, which was held in Bordeaux, the Bordeaux-based VUF Bikes and the Biarritz Pragma Industries were awarded the Land Freight Transport Prize for their global innovation: the VUF H2, the world's first hydrogen-powered tricycle.

The award ceremony took place in the plenary hall of the Bordeaux Convention Center as part of and as a culmination of the 24th European Energy Transition Conference.

A new vehicle

The VUF H2, the hydrogen-powered tricycle developed by VUF Bikes and Pragma Industries, is a world first.

Available on two chassis models designed by VUF Bikes (XXL and M models), the integration of the hydrogen system developed by Pragma Industries completely replaces the battery. This tricycle, which is unique in the world, carries a 3L hydrogen tank at 300bar, a 500W fuel cell coupled to supercapacitors, for a guaranteed zero lithium vehicle.

This innovation improves the sustainability and increases the energy efficiency of the vehicle, while offering it a much greater autonomy than its electric version (70 km in hydrogen vs. 40 km in electric).

Awarded the hydrogenics award, the VUF H2 won this distinction, which recognizes its exceptional performance as well as the commitment of both companies to a more responsible energy transition: these innovative vehicles are mainly deployed for last-mile logistics, thus facilitating deliveries to local retailers and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

”Through the partnership we have established with VUF Bikes, we are delighted to once again demonstrate the universal nature of hydrogen as an energy vector, and its potential for light transport. Hydrogen is a potential revolution, and this partnership allows us to spread the good word, in addition to proving that we are in reality, not in fiction.” — Pierre Forté, President Pragma Industries.

A key regional partnership at the service of urban and last-mile logistics

The collaboration between the Bordeaux-based VUF Bikes and the Biarritz Pragma Industries company demonstrates the effectiveness of regional and local partnerships in promoting innovation in favor of the energy and environmental transition.

Models already in circulation

These new vehicles are already being used on two projects:

— In Issy-les-Moulineaux (92), on the “Hy'nnovation” project. 4 tricycles (2 M + 2 XXL) are in use by local retailers for their local deliveries. A 5th tricycle will be delivered by the end of 2023

— In La Rochelle (17), as part of the “LUZO” project, 2 XXL tricycle trucks for their demonstration on a scale of zero carbon urban logistics

15 additional tricloaders are in production and will soon be deployed in other projects, mainly in Île-de-France.

“By listening to our customers, we realized that the autonomy of our scooters was a major issue for them. Last-mile players must be able to cover a wide catchment area: from 4 to 5 km around their hub over significant time slots. It is therefore an important criterion and hydrogen is a coherent answer. Thanks to our collaboration with Pragma Industries, we have succeeded in increasing the autonomy of our scooters while reducing the weight by 1.5 compared to the weight of lithium batteries.” -Thomas Chenut, Founder and CEO of VUF Bikes.

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