Symbio Delivers First Hydrogen-Range Extender Kangoo EVs

Last year, Symbio started testing a hydrogen fuel-cell range extender that was built into a Renault Kangoo electric vehicle. Today, Symbio announced it has delivered the first five of a planned 40-vehicle fleet of Renault Kangoo ZE Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) with a bespoke hydrogen fuel cell range extender. This system carries 1.8 kilograms (almost four pounds) of H2 on board and each kilogram extends the range by about 100 kilometers (62 miles). So, the Symbio system doubles the range of the Kangoo ZE, which "makes hydrogen-powered electric vehicles more competitive in the automotive markets," Symbio says.

The vehicles were ordered as part of a project led by the Conseil Général de la Manche, which already has a hydrogen refueling station available and has what Symbio says is an "important potential" for making low-carbon electricity, like hydrokinetic, offshore wind and nuclear.