UK startup Viritech has unveiled its Pininfarina-penned Apricale hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event.
Apricale is said to have a deployable power output of 1,072bhp. This 745kW hydrogen-powered hypercar is styled by Italian car design specialist Pininfarina. The name Apricale originates from the Latin word Apricus, meaning touched by the sun, which of course consists of hydrogen.
Image Source: Viritech
The hypercar measures a length of 4,550 mm, a width of 1,900 mm, and has a height of 1,150 mm. The vehicle is claimed to accelerate from zero to 96 km/h in less than 2.5 seconds. It can speed up to and over 200 mph (322 km/h). A full tank of hydrogen will take you about 350 miles (560 km).
just half the weight of its battery Hypercar cousins
Apricale weight is under 1,000 kg which is same as a petrol-powered equivalent, but half that of some battery-electric equivalents.
Apricale is using ‘graphene-reinforced hydrogen pressure vessels, which are built into the structure of the carbon fiber chassis. This helped not only in reducing its weight and cost, but also simplified the structure.
Viritech technology boss Matt Faulks said: “Hydrogen fuel cells have, until now, been used as range extenders for powertrains with batteries at their heart. We’ve essentially turned that approach on its head, developing a powertrain around a multi-hundred kW fuel cell system supported by a lightweight but highly efficient battery.”
He added that the system “delivers hypercar performance for Apricale but at less than half the weight of typical BEV hypercars.”
But the hypercar will be sold in limited numbers to ensure its long term rarity value. You will have to shell out about $2.6 million for this masterpiece. Its deliveries are expected from early 2024.
