NAMX and PININFARINA unveil the HUV, A hydrogen-powered SUV

Cambiano, Italy – NAMX presented this morning at the headquarters of Italian design house PININFARINA the prototype of its HUV, the world’s first car partially powered by a patented removable tank system that promises to change the experience paradigm of clean mobility and make hydrogen fuel widely available. Designed in collaboration with PININFARINA, in a pure and muscular style, the HUV is a hydrogen-powered, fuel cell SUV equipped with a fixed tank and six removable capsules providing autonomy of up to 800 kilometers. The use of capsules as secondary tanks is a breakthrough innovation that opens the door to the large-scale deployment of hydrogen for private vehicles through a new, totally decentralized, on-demand energy distribution model.

On-demand hydrogen enabling sustainable, limitless mobility

NAMX’s HUV is part of a large-scale industrial and technological project whose ambition is to reconcile human mobility and environmental preservation thanks to green hydrogen. Faouzi ANNAJAH and Thomas de LUSSAC, the cofounders of NAMX, intend to lead this project from end to end by federating key players in the industry, articulating the best of the existing technologies, and creating the solutions which are still missing.

The HUV and its technology, are the first products of this unique approach. By offering new ways to provide hydrogen to end customers and flexibility to recharge it helps greening mobility. The geopolitical context highlights the strategic importance of hydrogen which production objective has been tripled under Repower EU and which offers a clear path to decarbonize mobility in Europe and beyond, with nearly 1.5 billion private vehicles to be replaced by 2050. In addition, by allowing home deliveries and a tank change in seconds, NAMX change the experience of clean mobility by providing the fluidity, flexibility, and accessibility.

The HUV and its technology allow for the revival of the historical promise of freedom that is attached to the automobile and to place it into a sustainable future, where mobility takes place harmoniously within the environment.

A futuristic SUV with solid performances, designed with style

Fruit of a collaboration between NAMX and PININFARINA, the design of the car reflects a firm attention to details and purity. The inventiveness of Thomas de LUSSAC, also designer of the NAMX, was reinforced by the unique know-how of Kevin RICE, Chief Creative Officer of PININFARINA, and his teams to design a prototype that is both resolutely future-oriented and inspired by multiple facets. 

Fascinated by science fiction, Thomas de LUSSAC chose to give the vehicle’s shape the cutting edge of the coming era. His taste for the American design of the 50s and 60s, his predilection for “Muscle Cars”, inspired him to create a car that goes against the current, smooth, conventional design of electric cars. The NAMX HUV is powerful and asserts a conquering stance. PININFARINA has brought Italian elegance and an unparalleled sense of proportion and detail to the design, right down to the brand’s X engraved on the doors in continuous lines and repeated on the grille.

It will be marketed in two different versions: an entry-level rear-wheel drive version with 300 hp for a regulated top speed of 200 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds; a four-wheel drive GTH version with 550 hp for a regulated top speed of 250 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. The HUV will be marketed from the Q4 2025 with a price range of between 65,000 and 95,000 euros depending on the options selected.

An African-European constellation of leading experts and partners

Creativity, innovation, freedom of movement and sustainability: these are the values that bring together the stakeholders of NAMX. Born from the vision of its two founders, the NAMX project gathered stakeholders span across Africa and Europe, as hydrogen will be at the core of a large Euromed equation and NAMX intends to surf on the best global expertise and driving forces of this entire ecosystem.

The NAMX management team and board members have developed an in-depth relationship with several industrial and technological partners that will allow the HUV to enter the development phase in 2023. Thanks to its African-European integration, the NAMX project is considering the option of implanting its production plant in regions where the manufacturing ecosystem excellence and the environmental commitment to green hydrogen are both clearly stated. 

The founders and the management team are supported by Ibrahima SISSOKO, founder of nearly 30 companies on three continents, Pierre-Yves GEELS, former VP strategy of Matra automotive, Alain DIBOINE, former Director of the R&D Division at Renault, Mustapha MOKASS, clean energy and carbon finance expert, former United Nations Environment Programme – World Bank and Raphaël SCHOETGEN, former Chairman of Hydrogen Europe and international hydrogen expert.

“Pininfarina is not only about pure design and style, it is also about innovation, user experience and bringing to life our vision of a sustainable future. The NAMX HUV is simply at the heart of our DNA: inventing the best driving experience to infinite mobility, with style,” Paolo PININFARINA, President of PININFARINA, declared.

“Our double ambition is to become a new reference in the world of zero-emission cars, and to constantly explore new territories to facilitate mobility of our consumers. NAMX is a collective project built with the best industrial and technical partners in Europe and Africa,” Faouzi ANNAJAH, Founder and President of NAMX, said.

The NAMX HUV will be presented to the public in Paris next fall 2022 at the Paris Motor Show. The HUV is already available for pre-order on the NAMX website, namx.tech.

HUV concept, the design story by Pininfarina

Pininfarina has always been at the most advanced frontier of a new automotive mobility experience and has always looked carefully at hydrogen in the last 15 years by investing in studies and prototypes in collaboration with start-ups that are fully committed in new technologies. In 2008 Pininfarina integrated the concept of connected cars and automated mobility in the car and unveiled its hydrogen fuel cell concept car, the Sintesi, at the Geneva Motor Show. In 2016 Pininfarina presented its vision of a high-performance track car based on revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell technology, the H2 Speed. In 2019, at the Shanghai Motor Show, Grove Hydrogen Automotive Company announced a wide-ranging cooperation with Pininfarina subsidiary in Shanghai. Pininfarina’s commitment to hydrogen goes beyond the car. In 2021 the most powerful 100% hydrogen and electric racing truck ever built has been presented by Gaussin Group and the design of the range has been entrusted to Pininfarina. And today, in this collaboration with NAMX, Pininfarina brings this enormous wealth of experience applied for the first time to a mass-market SUV.

Pininfarina and NAMX redefined a completely new creative approach while designing together the HUV. This is a “next generation” car. A futuristic fusion of muscular main volumes, aggressive graphics, and a touch of retro around the lamp elements. Viewed from any angle, this car is unmistakably a NAMX.

A new design language and identity has been created for NAMX, not just to celebrate a new brand, but really give an all-new meaning to the innovative hydrogen concept never seen before. Stylistically speaking, the HUV consciously adopts a contrasting image as compared to the current “green design” approach of our time.

The project commenced by first designing the removable hydrogen tanks and understanding what would be the best way to integrate them into the car from a functional, ergonomic and user experience point of view. Keeping in mind the positioning of its occupants and the intricate packaging of the tanks and the rear, the overall volume of the vehicle started to take shape. As a result, the NAMX HUV could probably be the first car in Pininfarina’s history designed from the back to the front. As one approaches the HUV from the side, one cannot miss the cars high-slung, wedge silhouette. The HUV boasts a purposeful nose, a rising body-side that eventually culminates in an extremely powerful and muscular rear volume.

Still on the side, two intersecting lines subconsciously create an “X” – a deliberate attempt to visually read the brand name NAM”X” within the cars surfacing. Powerful wheel fenders flare outwards from the “X” and wrap around the extremity of the vehicle, enough to create the entire volume. This simple and iconic gesture ties together the entire car and is unmistakably Pininfarina in its philosophy. The “X” is also at the heart of the concept’s graphics. The imposing front grille maximizes cooling requirements for the fuel cells, while its contour and that of the charge lamp is a nod to the “X”. The wide, horizontal coast-to-coast lamps cap off the front fascia. It is also the icing on the cake to the rear tank deck, which on its own is a symphonic standalone work of art.

NAMX Digital Design Process

The NAMX HUV is proud to demonstrate several “premieres” concerning the design process. Following the learnings from the Teorema concept car, the first Pininfarina concept car completely developed by using VR technologies, the HUV is the first physical show car in the history of Pininfarina designed entirely digitally.

Augmented reality working sessions substituted the need for milling polystyrene foam models to carry out volumetric checks. This allowed the designers to explore multiple variations simultaneously, update volumes in real time and thus save precious time from one mill to another.

Pininfarina’s senior management carried out traditional “tape drawing” sessions directly in Alias. This is something unheard off for senior management in the automotive design industry and directly permitted control of curves in space, rather than conventionally sliding tapes on existing surfaces.

The team created digital “shade cards” using high-end visualization software, in a multitude of natural and artificial environments, to narrow down on selecting the exact samples desired. This allowed the team to create precise one or two final physical “shade cards”, in no time.

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