Lucas Bell 
Back in August, we were all introduced to the Hyperion XP-1 for the first time. A different kind of American hypercar, the XP-1 is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicle designed to highlight the capabilities of this alternative fuel source. And while we were initially left to ponder over a few images of the car, Hyperion has been hard at work. Now, the company has released a new video of the car out driving around in Los Angeles. That is right folks, the hydrogen powered Hyperion XP-1 lives.
If you aren’t familiar with Hyperion, that is likely because of the company’s background in the aerospace industry. The XP-1 marks their first venture into the automotive space, and what a first venture it is. Underpinning this machine is a hydrogen powertrain, which includes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, carbon fiber hydrogen storage systems, and ultra-capacitor energy storage technology. This allows the hydrogen fuel-cell hypercar to have an estimated range of 1,016 miles per fill-up, with each fuel stop taking just five minutes to complete. That’s quite a bit more impressive than the range and charge times we see from other electric sports car concepts.
Backing up that powertrain are multiple electric motors, which give the Hyperion XP-1 a functional all-wheel drive system. While the company has been coy about sharing performance metrics for the car, they estimate that 0-60 mph will take less than 2.2 seconds. Keep your foot planted to the floor and Hyperion states that the XP-1 will accelerate to over 221 mph. Part of the reason the car is so fast comes down to the fact that it packs a three-speed transmission, which is a rare sight in the electric vehicle segment.
The chassis is also robust, thanks to its carbon titanium monocoque construction. It’s lightweight too, with an estimated curb weight of under 2,275 pounds. For comparison, a brand-new Mazda Miata tips the scales at 2,332 pounds. This bodes well for the Hyperion XP-1’s on-track capabilities, not something we often associate with fuel-cell vehicles.
Hyperion says that they intend to put the XP-1 into production at some point in 2022, with production limited to just 300 units. That makes this thing a fairly exclusive product, thought that is to be expected in the hypercar world. We don’t have any pricing information at this point, but we won’t be surprised if it comes out at over seven figures. That’s a lot of money, but this car is genuinely unlike anything else on the road.
