Hopium to develop hydrogen sedan in Normandy

Hopium announced the deployment of its industrial site near Vernon in Normandy to develop its hydrogen-powered sedan models in France.

The 85-acre site, located in the area of Douains, will house the first production lines, which will have a capacity of 20,000 vehicles per year, and an R&D centre.

The infrastructure will be commissioned at the end of 2024, with an inauguration scheduled for early 2025. The Vernon site will eventually employ more than 1,500 people in all its divisions and thus intends to contribute to the region’s economic dynamism.

We chose Normandy, a region that we believe has all the assets needed to host the factory of the future, starting with its unique geographic location between Paris and the Channel, reinforced by the Seine Axis, its industrial basin and its rich innovation hub, in which we are now involved in.

Normandy was the first French region to adopt its Hydrogen Plan in 2018. Nearly one-third of the national hydrogen consumption is in Normandy, particularly in the chemical and petrochemical and aerospace sectors, with the presence of the Ariane Group test site.

Olivier Lombard, CEO of Hopium, said, “Hopium, by selecting this site for the location of its cutting-edge infrastructure, is completing another decisive step in its roadmap, which should lead to the launch of the first Hopium Māchina models on the market in late 2025.”

Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region, said, “This project is excellent news for Normandy and is further proof of the economic dynamism of our region. It will also contribute to the development of the hydrogen industry in Normandy.”