Hydrogen in Motorsports – Using the Dakar Rally as an Example

The "Future Mission 1000" of the Dakar Rally was launched in 2021

Experts agree: Hydrogen as a propulsion technology for passenger cars is currently less practical due to lower energy efficiency and higher costs. However, in heavy-duty mobility, hydrogen offers significant advantages and will play an important role in the future. There are frequent reports on the use of hydrogen propulsion in motorsports. Many see this as pure marketing, but hydrogen-powered vehicles also offer many advantages over purely electric variants in this field. Here, you'll learn why hydrogen propulsion makes sense in motorsports, how vehicles are retrofitted with hydrogen-compatible components, and what role the Dakar Rally plays in this.

Hydrogen propulsion is used in motorsports for several reasons. Besides ecological benefits, there are also technological advantages: compared to conventional propulsion, CO₂ reduction stands out, and unlike electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles have higher performance.

Hydrogen can be used as fuel either in a fuel cell or in a modified internal combustion engine. Both methods offer high efficiency and performance that can compete with traditional propulsion systems. Additionally, hydrogen propulsion allows for quick refueling times, which is particularly important in motorsports.

The hydrogen-powered HYSE-X1 successfully completed the 46th Dakar Rally, according to Toyota.

The Climate-Neutral Dakar Rally

The Dakar Rally is considered the most significant long-distance and desert rally in the world. The annual race is organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020. This year, the race took place from January 3-17, spanning from Bisha (in the west, near the Red Sea) to Shubaytah (in the east, near the Persian Gulf). Most people associate the endurance off-road race with a dusty competition of internal combustion engines in the desert.

With the new "Future Mission 1000" format, the organizer aims to pioneer sustainable motorsports. The uniqueness of this competition is that only three types of propulsion are allowed: fully electric, fully hydrogen-powered, and hybrid technology.

Participants must drive a 100-kilometer section, totaling 1,000 kilometers across twelve stages. The goal is to push the limits of new technologies and test them under maximum stress from gravel, sand, rocks, fine dust, and harsh shocks and vibrations.

The race, known as the world's toughest rally, is the perfect proving ground for alternative propulsion systems. Participants want to use the opportunity to test the performance of these systems under the harsh conditions and identify potential issues. The aim is to accelerate their (further) development. Simultaneously, the Dakar participation serves as a demonstration to promote initiatives and build a global, cross-industry network for alternative mobility.

The retrofitted E-Lions H2 Rock pickup at the finish line

Hydrogen Vehicles in the "Future Mission 1000"

In this year's emission-free race, out of nine participants, four were hydrogen vehicles and one was a fuel cell vehicle, including Toyota's new HySE-X1 rally prototype and a retrofitted E-Lions H2 Rock pickup.

The rally car with a hydrogen engine is a joint project of the Japanese research consortium Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology (HySE). The project includes contributions from Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki.

The HySE-X1, reminiscent of a dune buggy, is based on a chassis modified for the Dakar start by the Belgian motorsport team Overdrive Racing. The rally car weighs 1.5 tons, is about 3.5 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 1.7 meters high. Along with a hydrogen tank and corresponding fuel supply, it features a hydrogen engine for motorcycles: a liquid-cooled four-stroke inline-four with a supercharger / DOHC 16 with a displacement of 998 cc.

The winner of the "Future Mission 1000" 2024

Retrofitting the E-Lions H2 Rock Pickup

Initially, E-Lions H2 envisioned participating in the Dakar Rally with an emission-free vehicle. The company, which converts diesel vehicles to fuel cells, aimed to turn its idea into reality within three months.

The E-Lions Rock, a 3.3-ton pickup, was eventually retrofitted with a fuel cell by E-car-tech, an engineering partner for electromobility, and Iontrak, a hydrogen systems supplier.

One of the biggest challenges was retrofitting the vehicle with the necessary components within the short timeframe to withstand the extreme desert conditions.

H₂-Ready Components of the Pickup

Voss Fluid, a manufacturer of connection systems for mobile and stationary hydraulics and hydrogen applications from Wipperfürth, developed and supplied the entire piping system. This included connection components for the high and low-pressure areas of the vehicle, connecting the filling nozzle/receptacle to the inlet at the fuel cell.

The VOSSLok40 tube forming system was used for this. This system forms a sealing and holding contour at the tube end using a special forming machine, which the manufacturer claims ensures maximum leakage safety at nominal pressures up to 700 bar even under demanding conditions.

The stainless steel components are also corrosion-resistant against environmental influences—exactly what's needed during the rally. Additionally, the vehicle was checked with a hydrogen sensor and sniffer. The sensor monitored continuous operation, and the sniffer method was used at individual interfaces beforehand. In the event of a leak, the sensors would detect the medium's escape and prevent the vehicle from continuing.

Race Results and Future Outlook

Due to the tight schedule, no tests on-site before the rally were possible, according to the piping system manufacturer. However, the timely start was achieved.

The joint effort paid off: the E-Lions H2 Rock reached the finish line without breakdowns, finishing fifth with the Stichting Rainbow Trucks team and Dutch driver Dick Zuurmond. Toyota's HySE-X1 rally car finished just ahead of the pickup in fourth place. The KH7-Ecovergy team with the MAN TGA 26.480 Hydrogen Truck won the "Future Mission 1000."

The "Future 1000" race of the Dakar Rally once again demonstrates that vehicle construction is increasingly focusing on alternative propulsion systems. The organizer expects that the demand for alternative vehicle propulsion will continue to rise. As a result, hydrogen as a fuel could become cheaper, and its production costs may decrease through advancements in production technology towards mass production. Manufacturers of hydrogen-compatible components, such as Voss Fluid, show with their retrofitting of a rally car to hydrogen propulsion that climate-neutral technologies also have a future in motorsports.