Gumpert is seeking assistance to bring the fuel-cell-powered Nathalie sports car to the market.
The car was first previewed at the Geneva Motor Show last year before becoming official this past March. Drive is provided by a 15 kW methanol fuel-cell producing hydrogen from methanol and converting it into electricity. This power is then sent to four wheel-mounted electric motors through a pair of synchronized two-speed gearboxes that results in a total of 536 hp. The car can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).
Read More: 536 HP Gumpert Nathalie ‘First Edition’ Methanol Fuel Cell Sports Car Costs $455,000
“We feel left alone by politics and the economy,” Gumpert said in a recent statement viewed by Autocar. “We are looking for powerful partners with whom we can spread this new, ground-breaking technology. We can also imagine participation from the federal or state governments. Our technology offers long ranges with short refueling times, a simple infrastructure. [It] is CO2-neutral and completely harmless thanks to the use of green methanol.”
“With the methanol fuel cell, we have managed to develop a safe energy concept from hydrogen. We generate electricity without risk and in an environmentally neutral way – and even less risky than any petrol-powered car.”
Supplying the car manufacturer with its innovative methanol fuel cells will be Danish firm Blue World Technologies. Gumpert itself is backed by Chinese electric vehicle start-up Aiways and intends on selling the Nathalie for €407,000 ($456,000). The first deliveries were penciled in for 2021 but it remains to be seen if that date is still feasible given the coronavirus pandemic.
