French start-up starts production of hydrogen-powered bicycles

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Pragma Industries, based in Biarritz, France, produces fuel cells for military use, has sold about 60 hydrogen-powered bicycles to French municipalities, including Saint Lo, Cherbourg, Chambйry and Bayonne.

Approximately Ђ7,500 per bike and at least Ђ30,000 for a charging station, the bicycles are too expensive for the consumer market, but Pragma is working to reduce it to Ђ5,000, which would lead their price in accordance with premium electric vehicles.

Pragma also sells refueling stations that produce hydrogen through the electrolysis of water, as well as cheaper tank stations.

The bicycles that look and ride like any ordinary bike are aimed at bicycle rental operators, delivery companies and municipal or corporate bicycle parks with intensive use.

Pragma, which produced 100 hydrogen bicycles last year, plans to produce 150 this year. According to founder and chief executive Pierre Forte, it received demand from Norway, the United States, Spain, Italy and Germany.

With a range of bike limited by the size of a hydrogen tank, Pragma is also operating a bicycle that will convert plain water to hydrogen on board a bicycle, using a chemical reaction between water and aluminum or magnesium powder to produce hydrogen gas.