Técnico Fuel Cell showcased “the most efficient hydrogen car developed by Portuguese students”
The Técnico students’ organization unveiled the TFC02, their second hydrogen-powered prototype.
“Imagine a future where vehicles do not emit pollutants, drive autonomously, and are developed by university students”. With this vision, Técnico Fuel Cell (TFC), a students’ organisation from Instituto Superior Técnico, presented the TFC02, their latest hydrogen-powered prototype. This new model stands out from its predecessor due to its aerodynamic design, the use of lightweight, high-performance materials, and its emphasis on efficiency.
The prototype was covered by a cyan blue cloth at the entrance of the Main Building, at Alameda campus. The rollout, an annual event in which the team reveals the results of the work carried out throughout the season to partners, professors, students, and other guests, took place on 23 September 2025.
After unveiling the TFC01 in 2024—the first hydrogen car developed by students in Portugal—the team is proud to introduce what they claim is “the most efficient hydrogen car developed by Portuguese students”, shared Afonso Cruz, the team leader. “It is the first prototype we have created using carbon fiber, which makes it lighter and therefore helps it use less energy”, he noted. The model also includes body parts that were 3D printed at Técnico.
Rogério Colaço, the president of Técnico, highlighted the importance of the team’s journey: “Técnico Fuel Cell is a project that represents Instituto Superior Técnico in its broadest sense. It embodies our approach: build, simulate, prototype, test, fail, learn, integrate and optimise”. He also stressed that “the true value lies in the learning process” and encouraged students to “document your work, inspire future generations and pursue ambition with humility”.
The new grey colour of the prototype marked a difference from the bright orange of its predecessor, signalling the continuity of a path in transformation. “At the beginning of last year, some very important decisions were made for Técnico Fuel Cell. Results were demanded from day one, in a particularly challenging year, but it also brought new elements with enormous potential and ambition”, explained Pedro Camarate, the team leader. “The TFC02 is the result of many hours of dedication. It has a new design, a new efficiency, and a new solution”.
The team also announced the adaptation of the TFC01 to 100% autonomous driving. “Next year, our main objective is to create the first autonomous hydrogen-powered model”, shared Afonso Cruz, emphasising that this will give “new life and status to the first car developed by the team”.
The combination of hydrogen and autonomous driving paves the way for what the team defines as the “next step in sustainable mobility”, pointing to the creation of the first Portuguese prototype that will be both hydrogen-powered and fully autonomous – a project that seeks to anticipate solutions to the challenges of a future in energy and technological transition.