An automotive vehicle drive unit, comprising a fuel cell whose control input is a setpoint of the electrical power to be delivered by the fuel cell. There is a reversible electrical energy storage system and an electric motor to propel the wheels of a vehicle. An electrical connection element selectively connects the fuel cell and/or the energy storage system to the electric motor. A control circuit stores a model of the consumption of dihydrogen as a function of the power delivered by this fuel cell, in the form of a second-degree polynomial and is configured to compute a coefficient of power distribution λ1 between the fuel cell and the electrical energy storage system pursuant to a defined equation. The control circuit controls the electrical connection element to recharge the energy storage system when the value of the power setpoint Pfc* is greater than the power demanded by the electric motor.