Phinia Wins Two Awards at Equip Auto for Hydrogen Direct Injection Technology
At the International Automotive Innovation Awards (Grands Prix Internationaux de l’Innovation Automobile) held during the Equip Auto show from October 14 to 18, Phinia received two distinctions: the Innovation Award in the “première monte” (original equipment for new vehicles) category and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award.
This recognition marks a significant win for hydrogen technology, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the exhibition. Spun off from Delphi, Phinia submitted its hydrogen internal combustion engine solution, developed and coordinated from its Blois site in Loir-et-Cher. According to the company, the solution eliminates CO₂ emissions while maintaining engine performance, driving range, and rapid refueling capabilities.
Phinia has developed a new generation of fuel injectors that enable clean combustion with very low NOx emissions and virtually no particulate matter. The technology has already been road-tested in a Stellantis light commercial vehicle and adopted in motorsport by Alpine for the Alpenglow HY6. The H2ICE injectors are compatible with existing engines and could be applied to other sectors such as transport, agriculture, marine, and energy.
The jury — which included more than 100 French and international journalists — praised the technology as a “robust, simple, and cost-effective solution” and a “credible, sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.” Phinia also won in the CSR category for its contribution to sustainable development.
Unfortunately, hydrogen combustion engines have been excluded from France’s national hydrogen strategy and are ineligible for public funding programs such as those run by bpifrance, potentially limiting their large-scale deployment in the domestic market.
