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French startup launches hydrogen-powered bicycles

  • Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    1/12

    Pierre Forte and Alexandre Blanc check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • An employee holds an hydrogen fuel battery of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    2/12

    An employee holds an hydrogen fuel battery of an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    An employee holds an hydrogen fuel battery of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • An Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    3/12

    An Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    An Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • An employee works around Alpha bikes, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    4/12

    An employee works around Alpha bikes, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    An employee works around Alpha bikes, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • Alpha bikes, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, are displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    5/12

    Alpha bikes, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, are displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    Alpha bikes, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, are displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • An employee inspects an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    6/12

    An employee inspects an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    An employee inspects an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • Detail of an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    7/12

    Detail of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France

    Detail of an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • The Pragma industries logo is pictured on an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    8/12

    Pragma industries logo is pictured on an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell in Biarritz

    The Pragma industries logo is pictured on an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • An Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    9/12

    An Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    An Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • Detail of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    10/12

    Detail of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France

    Detail of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    11/12

    Pierre Forte and Alexandre Blanc check an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
  • Detail of the Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    12/12

    Detail of an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz

    Detail of the Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
    Reuters
Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
An employee holds an hydrogen fuel battery of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
An Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
An employee works around Alpha bikes, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Alpha bikes, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, are displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
An employee inspects an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Detail of an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
The Pragma industries logo is pictured on an Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
An Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Detail of an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Pierre Forte (R), founder and CEO of Pragma Industries, and Alexandre Blanc (L), operations director, check an Alpha bike, first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Detail of the Alpha bike, the first industrialised bicycle to use a hydrogen fuel cell, is displayed at the Pragma Industries factory in Biarritz, France, January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Reuters

PARIS (Reuters) - A French start-up has become the first company to start factory production of hydrogen-powered bicycles for use in corporate or municipal fleets.

Pragma Industries, which is based in Biarritz, France and makes fuel cells for military use, has sold some 60 hydrogen-powered bikes to French municipalities including Saint Lo, Cherbourg, Chambery and Bayonne.

At about 7,500 euros (6,667 pounds) per bike, and at least 30,000 euros for a charging station, the bikes are too expensive for the consumer market, but Pragma is working to cut that to 5,000 euros, which would bring their price in line with premium electric bikes.

"Many others have made hydrogen bike prototypes, but we are the first to move to series production," said founder and chief executive Pierre Forte.

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The firm's Alpha bike runs for about 100 km (62 miles) on a two-litre tank of hydrogen, a range similar to an electric bike, but a refill takes only minutes while e-bikes take hours to charge. One kilo of hydrogen holds about 600 times more energy than a one-kilo lithium battery.

Pragma also sells refuelling stations that produce hydrogen through the electrolysis of water as well cheaper tank-based stations.

The bikes, which look and ride the same as any normal bicycle, are aimed at bike-rental operators, delivery companies, and municipal or corporate bicycle fleets with intensive usage.

Pragma, which produced 100 hydrogen bikes last year, plans to manufacture 150 this year. It has received demand from Norway, the United States, Spain, Italy and Germany, Forte said.

With bike's range limited by the size of the hydrogen tank, Pragma is also working on a bike that will convert plain water into hydrogen aboard the bike, using a chemical reaction between water and aluminium or magnesium powder to produce hydrogen gas.

"In the next two-three years we want to enter the consumer market and massively increase the scale of our operations," said Forte.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq; editing by Luke Baker, William Maclean)