Riversimple Hydrogen car to begin Leicester trials

The city council and car manufacturer Riversimple have agreed to lease 30 of the cars to motorists under a 12-month pilot scheme also involving Leicester and De Montfort universities.

Leicester was chosen because its manageable size meant it would only need one hydrogen fuel pump. If successful, the pilot could lead to the city becoming the location for a Riversimple factory producing 5,000 cars a year.

The firm is expected to announce a second agreement with another city soon.

‘The age of fossil-fuelled cars may not be over yet but it is surely dying,’ said Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers at the car’s launch in Leicester yesterday. ’Contrary to what we usually hear, sustainable, near pollution-free transport is possible, here and now, using existing technology.’

Riversimple spokesperson Charlie Burgess told The Engineer the leasing model would help further reduce the cars’ environmental impact.

‘The whole model of how car sales run is completely unsustainable,” he said. ’Rather than buying new a car and then selling it and buying another one three years later, this will keep the original cars on the road for as long as possible.’