As IFPEN specifies , “1 kg of hydrogen releases approximately three times more energy than 1 kg of gasoline” . In addition, the emissions from a hydrogen vehicle are composed only of water and therefore do not result in any CO2 emissions.
Convinced of the potential of hydrogen in motorsports, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the Swiss engineering laboratory GreenGT created the MissionH24 program, in 2018, with the aim of getting competitors to enter electric-hydrogen powered cars at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Like many other technologies launched and tested at Le Mans in the past, the aim of the operation is to accelerate the development of this new energy. A wish shared by Christophe Ricard, president of GreenGT, and Pierre Fillon, president of the ACO, who hope in the long term to develop “a discipline and ultimately, low-carbon mobility essential for the future of our planet”.
A “HYDROGEN” CATEGORY AT THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS
On the way to this goal, September 22, 2018 marks a historic milestone: GreentGT demonstrated the first hydrogen-powered car, the LMPH2G, on the Spa Francorchamps circuit. A year later, a more successful version of this prototype, developed by the H24 Racing team, took part in the free practice sessions of the Michelin Le Mans Cup, immersed among the competitors in the series. Before being able to take to the track, the LMPH2G driven by Olivier Lombard and Norman Nato has passed and passed numerous tests, crash tests and evaluations to obtain safety validation from the FIA, essential to enter a competition.
“Today, we are moving forward in a way as pioneers to introduce new energy in competition and we are also participating in the development of processes for the future”, summarizes Bernard Niclot, hydrogen project director for the ACO. “Having a partner like Total for the supply part, a mobile station, is also a very important guarantee”.
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