Air Liquide hydrogen mobility projects selected by French agency

The French Environment & Energy Management Agency (ADEME) has selected two hydrogen mobility projects led by Air Liquide for the second stage of its Hydrogen Mobility Ecosystems call for proposals. The Hype project is developing hydrogen-powered taxis with a target of 600 vehicles by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Air Liquide, Toyota and other partners will invest in electrolysis-based hydrogen production. Another project, called HyAMMED is aiming to operate long-haul hydrogen trucks in south-east France using locally-produced hydrogen. A total of 10 projects will result in 43 hydrogen stations and 158 heavy-duty vehicles.

Two hydrogen mobility projects led by Air Liquide—Hype and HyAMMED—were selected in January 2020 by ADEME (French Environment & Energy Management Agency) as part of the second closing of its “Hydrogen Mobility Ecosystems” call for proposals.

Hype is developing the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered taxis. Launched during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, it now has around 100 vehicles. The “2020 HYPE 600” project aims to reach the 600-taxi mark by the end of 2020.





Toyota will deliver 500 additional Mirai, which will supplement the existing fleet. At the same time, HysetCo, which includes Air Liquide, Idex, Kouros, the Société du Taxi Électrique Parisien (STEP) and Toyota, will invest in local hydrogen production facilities based on electrolysis, which will make it possible to supply 3 new hydrogen stations (HRS) in addition of those already in operation.

Through this project, the partners wish to demonstrate the relevance of hydrogen mobility for intensive applications such as passenger transport.

HyAMMED (Hydrogen in Aix-Marseille for an Ecological and Sustainable Mobility) aims to operate hydrogen trucks for long-distance transport of goods in the South-East of France. The partners thus intend to test this heavy transport solution by using low-carbon hydrogen co-produced in the Marseille-Fos port area.

The challenge of this project is to validate the maturity and reliability of this logistics transport solution. It will reduce emissions by more than 2,000 metric tons of CO 2 per year, the equivalent of the annual emissions of more than 700 sedan cars.

ADEME selected a total of 10 initiatives. The “Hydrogen Mobility Ecosystems” call for proposals, the first wave of which was launched by ADEME in October 2018, is part of the Hydrogen Deployment Plan for Energy Transition and aims to deploy territorial hydrogen mobility ecosystems based on fleets of commercial vehicles.

According to the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, all of the projects selected by ADEME will lead to the deployment of more than 43 hydrogen stations and 158 heavy duty vehicles.