Putting ‘Speed’ in a name is statement of intent. It adds excitement. Look at the Bentley EXP Speed 6, or the Triumph Speed Triple, or the TVR Speed 12. Or, um, the Peugeot Speedfight… OK, it doesn’t always work. But eminent styling house Pininfarina are coming in hard with their H2 Speed, aiming to bring a frisson of devil-may-care friskiness to the hydrogen fuel cell genre.
They’re certainly on the right track in design terms, it looks like a modern interpretation of a Group C race car. Their claim that it’s the world’s first high-performance hydrogen car is an exciting one, and it’s certainly a world apart from a 1990s 7 Series with a hydrogen tank in the boot: this is a rallying cry, a call to arms, something that will place hydrogen on the performance map. This slippery creature will hit 62mph in 3.4 seconds and go on to 186mph, all the while emitting nothing but water vapour. Its 3-minute refuelling time is one in the eye for electric cars too. And while diehard petrolheads may decry the lack of drama of hydrogen cars, Pininfarina’s riposte is sonorous: they’ve worked hard to ensure that the H2 Speed’s compressor makes a sound like an angry snake. The car also has the Swiss flag emblazoned upon the sides, which is a big plus…
