Gaussin H2 Racing Truck crosses the finish line at the Dakar Rally 2022
The truck set by French Gaussin and sponsored by Aramco was a hydrogen-powered one, racing with the special ambition to show that it's possible to complete an extremely tough race such as the Dakar Rally with a zero-emission vehicle.
Gaussin H2 Racing Truck managed to finish the Dakar Rally 2022. That’s great news, as the truck set by French Gaussin and sponsored by Aramco was a hydrogen-powered one, racing with the special ambition to show that it’s possible to complete an extremely tough race such as the Dakar Rally with a zero-emission vehicle. As we wrote in this post at the end of last year, Gaussin H2 Racing Truck was designed by Italian Pininfarina under quite a well-established collaboration between the two companies. Of course, the hydrogen-powered trucks was the first of its kind to participate in the annual rally competition.
Gaussin H2 Racing Truck at the Dakar Rally
The H2 Racing Truck ran from the Red Sea, in Jeddah, through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia traversing to Hail, Al Artawiyah, Al Qaisumah, Riyadh, Al Dawadimi, Wadi Ad Dawasir, Bisha and returning in the final sprint of the race to Jeddah where it all began. The team for the H2 Racing Truck consisted, for this heavy vehicle, of a crew driven by a Dakar winner, Philippe Jacquot pilot, and included Christophe Gaussin, CEO of Gaussin, as racing team manager.
We even exceeded some of our expectations, with a demonstrated range of 400 km, whereas our conservative estimate was for a range of around 250 km. Our hydrogen truck impressed on the spot, with its speed of 140 km/h, coupled with the silence of its engine, which is a huge asset for drivers
Christophe Gaussin, CEO of GAUSSIN
According to the French manufacturer, the successful demonstration of the H2 Racing Truck during the event is promising but also rich in lessons for Gaussin, which was able to note the useful areas of improvement for the future, in particular the reduction of the truck’s weight and center of gravity. The implementation of the hydrogen system has been developed on the basis of an ultra-light chassis designed around the hydrogen and electric powertrain and based on the modular skateboard launched last April by Gaussin.
«The H2 Racing Truck passed the planned test route»
«We are very proud of our first run in the Dakar, which is a great success for GAUSSIN. The H2 Racing Truck passed the planned test route without a hitch, with an availability ratio of 99.9%», said Christophe Gaussin, CEO of GAUSSIN. «We even exceeded some of our expectations, with a demonstrated range of 400 km, whereas our conservative estimate was for a range of around 250 km. Our hydrogen truck impressed on the spot, with its speed of 140 km/h, coupled with the silence of its engine, which is a huge asset for drivers, and finally a phenomenal torque, which made the difference in the dunes. This first entry also allows GAUSSIN to improve its truck in the future. Our ability to achieve a strong finish to the race is a testament to the conviction of our team that we must fight against climate change now and accelerate the transition to clean energy options».
