Can Le Mans stop the electric car?

The world’s most famous endurance race is promoting hydrogen technology.

The Toyota GR H2 Concept could form the basis of a future Le Mans entry

Electric cars are taking over – and not everyone is happy about it.

That’s because, while EVs can do many things well, long-distances and fast refuelling are not one of them at the moment. Which is where hydrogen comes in, as it can more directly replace conventional fossil fuels, either with fuel cell vehicles (FCV) or in a liquid fuel form.

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And what better way to highlight the benefits of hydrogen for endurance and fast replenishment than the 24 hours of Le Mans. The race organisers, the ACO, have long encouraged manufacturers to use the race as a test bed for future road car technology, and hydrogen is the next frontier.

Toyota has made no secret of its hesitation around electric cars, investing in a so-called ‘multi-pathway’ of technologies. It unveiled the GR H2 Racing Concept ahead of the 2023 race and wants to race it in the ACO’s planned hydrogen class.

Toyota has invested millions already in trying to create a viable hydrogen-based carbon neutral fuel that could replace fossil fuels. It has already competed in domestic racing in Japan with a GR Corolla powered by liquid hydrogen, but a possible Le Mans entry would be a major step forward in making the technology more mainstream.

In 2024 the racing industry’s hydrogen plans took a major leap forward with the reveal of the H24EVO, a new hydrogen-electric prototype that has been developed by the ACO itself and specialist companies for a future Garage 56 entry.

Jean-Michel Bouresche, president of the H24Project and co-president of the MissionH24 initiative that supports it, explained his vision.

“The objective we have set for ourselves is for the H24EVO to be the first FIA-homologated electric-hydrogen prototype and for it to present a level of performance equivalent to the best GT3s,” he said.

And that’s not all that’s going on in the world of hydrogen prototypes. Alpine revealed the Alpenglow HY4 earlier this year and used last weekend’s race to give the car its public debut, lapping the famous circuit ahead of the race.

Hyundai is another brand rumoured to be interested in a potential hydrogen-powered Le Mans entry in the future, having previously developed a racing prototype.

Closer to home, Toyota and Hyundai have made it clear both companies are committed to hydrogen, working together to invest in infrastructure and other initiatives to promote its use in heavy vehicles in the short-term and larger passenger vehicles in the long-term.