Greek Legislation Stops Commercialization of Hydrogen Car

eco-racerStudents of the Technical University of Crete have built a hydrogen car that has won international awards, yet Greek legislation prevents production of the vehicle.

The Eco Racer is 100 percent Greek. It was conceived, designed and built by undergraduate and graduate students of a Greek university. It is hydrogen fueled and it’s high on economy as it needs one liter of fuel for every 434 kilometers.

“It is a vehicle that could easily go into mass production after some modifications, with a cost less than 10,000 euros. It can be built in Greece and can be exported,” says a Skai television report.

The body of the Eco Racer is made of carbon fiber so that it weighs very little. It has a chassis made of special aluminum alloys and its engine is fueled by hydrogen cells. It is completely noiseless and the only pollutant it produces is water. The first model appeared in 2011 and the new one, the ER 12 is the third version.

This unique car has won two awards in international shows: First Prize in safety and fourth prize in fuel economy. It has participated in competitions in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Yet, Greek legislation prohibits mass production of the vehicle. Investors cannot fund the production of the Eco Racer because Greek law does not allow it.

“I hope legislation in Greece becomes more flexible. As you can see, there are good ideas and inventions. We hope that one day the Technical University will be connected with entrepreneurship,” said Panagiotis Bazios, one of the students who invented and built the Eco Racer.



  1. This is a good example why Greece will never get ahead….EVERYTHING is too hard and swallowed up by meaningless red tape…

  2. I’d be interested to hear what specifically is preventing it. This story is long on outrage, and short on detail of the specific prohibition and has no comment from the officials presumably preventing it.

  3. 270 miles per kg @ $11K sounds good. A version with higher clearance, knobbies and room for a friend sounds even better. Green hydrogen storage is one step toward our future.

  4. EXACTLY ! Not that i doubt for one minute greek governments, as they always have done, like to F themselves over and over, by throttling and stifling
    any business that tries to rear its “ugly” head and dare join the
    modern world, but …what exactly does this reported legislation
    actually say ? because the article, and typical of half ass reporting,
    makes no mention of what the said legislation actually states