Héricourt, France, November 9, 2021 — The French technology company Gaussin was founded back in 1880, but their values are as modern as they could be. They strive for zero-emission products and make vehicles smarter for freight transportation and people mobility. They have now revealed a racing truck that runs on hydrogen, and they want to enter the Dakar Rally in 2022 with it. Back in October 2021, Gaussin won the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport, so they are certainly not a one-trick pony at that.
When we think about vehicles, what are the most important factors we can think of? Of course, there are emotional values like design or feelings we get from operating a vehicle, but naturally, there are also technical factors such as the performance in various conditions. Innovation, however, also includes other aspects, which is why hydrogen-powered vehicles are increasingly interesting to look at. Whether or not hydrogen could be considered a green or sustainable technology is up for discussion and is based on how the parts are created and how the hydrogen is manufactured. Yet, it’s likely on the rise and certainly has a brighter future than traditional fossil fuels.
The H2 racing truck to enter Dakar Rally 2022
The H2 racing truck is claimed to be the world’s first hydrogen-powered racing truck with zero emission. Pininfarina designed it as part of their engagement with Gaussin for their new lines of road trucks. The designs look certainly futuristic but what’s even more important is what they got under the hood. The H2 racing truck from Gaussin was built with the following technical specifications.
- Two e-motors of 300 kW each
- 380 kW of fuel cells
- 82 kWh of batteries
- 80 kg of hydrogen
- A high-performance cooling system
- A lightweight chassis designed specifically for the performance and integration of the hydrogen-electric system
- A speed limit of 140 km/h in compliance with regulations
- A range of 250 km in race conditions
- A 20-minute recharge with a specific hydrogen cooling station
- Registered for road usage
The Dakar Rally is an important annual racing event in the automotive industry. It’s organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation and first happened in 1978. Due to the length of the rally and the partially harsh environmental conditions, to some vehicle companies, this is a great testing opportunity for their new and upcoming models. This is why it is also interesting to see how the hydrogen-fuelled racing truck H2 from Gaussin will fair at the rally.
Quotes from the involved companies
“On January 12 in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, the Dakar organization presented its ‘Dakar Future’ energy transition program, which aims to make the Dakar 100% “green” by 2030. The climate outlook announced by scientists is indeed alarming. We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change and the last generation to act. By entering the first 100% hydrogen and electric truck in the Dakar [Rally], Gaussin intends to demonstrate the reliability and performance of its hydrogen road range in a difficult environment. New technologies based on renewable energies are available and mature and should help accelerate the energy transition. For the Gaussin Group and its partners, this project, which has now become a reality, represents a technological achievement and the fruit of years of work and experience in zero-emission mobility”, declared Christophe Gaussin, CEO of Gaussin.
“We are delighted that Gaussin, a pioneer and visionary company in the transport market, is taking part in the Dakar Future initiative with a 100% hydrogen truck. By competing in the Dakar [Rally], Gaussin is laying the foundation stone for the energy transition we all want to see, and the Dakar [Rally] is the ideal open-air laboratory for manufacturers”, said Yann Le Moenner, CEO of Amaury Sport Organisation.
“We are thrilled to see the first-born truck running as a result of the extraordinary collaboration with Gaussin,” affirmed Silvio Pietro Angori, Pininfarina CEO. “We have leveraged our long experience in designing sustainable and intelligent mobility combined with our ability to create unique user experiences to shape the full Gaussin range of zero-emission road trucks. We are sure that this new range of ecological, smart, and unique style trucks will write a new chapter in the history of zero-emission mobility.”
Also interesting
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- Volvo Vera: Future of Autonomous Transport Solutions
- Hydrail: Hydrogen-Powered Trains to Pioneer the Way We Travel
- Nikola & Bosch: First 40-ton Fuel Cell Truck for Mass Production
YouTube: The H2 RACING TRUCK on track to the DAKAR 2022
Photo credit: All media shown is owned by Gaussin and was made available as part of a press release.
Source: Gaussin press release
