Gaussin introduces the H2 Racing Truck, the first hydrogen-powered high-performance electric racing truck set to compete in the World Rally-Raid Championship, with the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia as its first leg. The data and information collected during the competition will be used to develop the range of road trucks scheduled for launch in 2022 and designed by Pininfarina. Unlike solutions currently available on the market, the implementation of the hydrogen system has been developed based on an ultralight chassis designed around the hydrogen and electric powertrain, based on a modular skateboard.
“We made sure the design faithfully represented the group’s values and roots: reliability, performance and ruggedness, “Be faster Safer & Cleaner.” This defines Gaussin’s new style applied to all vehicles in the range,” says Kevin Rice, Chief Creative Officer at Pininfarina. The range is available in five models: a road tractor, a self-driving truck, a distribution truck, a construction truck and finally a racing truck. Not only were the technical requirements related to hydrogen and electric powertrain and fuel cell operation considered, but also the junction with the modular skateboard as well as the latest technologies in terms of materials and Human Machine Interface.
The H2 Racing Truck is a concentration of technology, power and robustness designed with high quality components to operate in extreme environments. It has two electric 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 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 racing conditions and can be recharged in 20 minutes with a specific hydrogen cooling station.
