- First launched at the 2021 Dakar Rally, GCK Motorsport’s programme to develop a competitive hydrogen car in cross-country racing has seen significant progress.
The presentation of the first ever integrated hydrogen fuel cell at this year’s Dakar Rally represents a momentous milestone for the team, and the future of motorsport as it transitions to greener alternatives.
Day 8 of the 2022 Dakar Rally is the official rest day of the famous cross-country event. Not so for GCK Motorsport, the technological, sport and media flagship of French Group Green Corp Konnection (GCK). Today the team presents the prototype of its 2024 hydrogen-powered rally raid vehicle in Riyadh, revealing its first fully integrated fuel cell system which has been specially developed internally throughout 2021 in collaboration with German engineering company FEV.
The newly integrated fuel cell is powered by 700-bar hydrogen, of which the final volume of 30kg will be stored in 4 R134 certified tanks to deliver 200kW of energy. The fuel cell is directly connected to the latest generation of the in-house produced lithium-Ion battery generating 50kW. The new GCK 2-gear electric motor has also been further enhanced to reach 320kW, the equivalent of 430 horsepower. Finally, a first adaptation of the chassis has been made to meet the requirements needed for the integration of this new powertrain. These developments will allow the GCK e-Blast H2 to race a 250km long special stage entirely powered by green energy.
The months immediately following the 2022 Dakar Rally will see GCK Motorsport further advance the fuel cell and car through bench and real scale testing. In the latter half of 2022, a thorough testing programme in real cross-country conditions with focus on powertrain optimisation will be the main target. This will prepare the team for its planned premier participation of the hydrogen-powered car in select 2023 Dakar stages before being fully race ready in 2024.
“We are very proud to be presenting the first ever hydrogen cross-country competition car with an integrated fuel cell. GCK Motorsport’s involvement in some of the most gruelling and varied motorsport events globally provides an ideal platform and innovation lab for Green Corp Konnection to further develop and create industry-leading greener technological solutions. We are incredibly excited to see our involvement in the #DakarFuture movement evolve, and to create more milestones on the road to greener motorsport solutions.”, Eric Boudot, CEO of Green Corp Konnection and GCK Motorsport, commented.
GCK Motorsport, supported by Dakar figurehead Guerlain Chicherit, is currently racing the 2022 Dakar Rally in the biofuelled GCK Thunder for the team to test, learn and collect data in the ultimate, challenging racing conditions.
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