During his visit to Hordain’s site in the northern region of Hauts-de-France today, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares announced the series production of Peugeot, Citroën and Opel light advertising cars in a hydrogen edition equipped with a fuel cell.
These hydrogen cars will be assembled on the site’s multi-energy line, which already produces the electric and combustion versions of the “K-Zero”. Thanks to a reinforced frame platform in white, the hydrogen models will be glued to the same old drawing and assembly stages, on the same production line as combustion and electric cars, before entering the new 8,000 m² facility that focuses solely on the final adjustment.
A committed team will install the tank, additional batteries and fuel mobile on a production line at the Hordain site that halves the set-up time compared to the previous small-scale process, where the fuel mobile was assembled in a pilot workshop in Rüsselsheim.
This industrialization of light advertising cars powered by hydrogen – accompanied by an investment of 10 million euros with state money – is a new step for Hordain, where 43% of the models of Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Vauxhall, Fiat and Toyota are already found. It will be in zero-emission electric versions.
“K-Zero” cars equipped with fuel cells are intended for long-distance transport professionals who want greater diversity (400 km), the fastest charging time imaginable (3 minutes) and an uncompromising load capacity (1000 kg payload).
Launched in 2021, Stellantis is the first manufacturer worldwide to market this vehicle.
Opened in 1994, the Hordain site is at the heart of the advertising strategy of Stellantis’ advertising car division. This reference site brings together light advertising cars and passenger cars of the “K-Zero” family. Hordain employs another 2,440 people in 3 shifts, with a production of 628 cars.
It assembled 144,650 cars in 2021 and produced its millionth “K-Zero” in the summer of 2022.