Toyota to test its hydrogen engines in the endurance race in Thailand
Rookie Racing Co. Ltd (Rookie Racing) and the Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) have announced the two brands will be competing in the IDEMITSU 1500 Super Endurance 2022 (Thailand 25H Endurance Race) which will take place at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand from 17 to 18 December 2022.
The two brands will be racing in the ORC Rookie GR Toyota Corolla H2 concept, which is a hydrogen vehicle as well as the ORC Rookie GR86 CNF Concept, which is a carbon-neutral fuel vehicle. The endurance race will also mark the first time both of these vehicles compete in a race outside of Japan.
Moreover, the two teams will not actually be participating in the entire 25 hour stretch but rather only during the first and last few hours of the race. What’s more, one of the Toyota Gazoo Racing team Thailand’s vehicles will also be running on carbon neutral fuels.
On top of that, the Thailand 25 hour Endurance Race, both Toyota and Rookie Racing mark the first event in a list of many where the two brands will continuously strive to increase and accelerate development of carbon neutral technologies in Asia through the world of motorsports.
Furthermore, both teams participated in the Super Taikyu Series in Japan in a hydrogen powered GR Toyota Corolla and this has accelerated the brand’s efforts towards “producing,” “transporting” and using hydrogen with the goal of achieving a true carbon neutral society.
Additionally, Toyota has already demonstrated the potential of hydrogen as a viable option for achieving carbon neutrality under the gruelling rally conditions at the recent World Rally Championship (WRC) as the brand ran a demonstration of the GR Yaris H2 hydrogen engine car which was under test development.
These actions are also all in line with Toyota’s commitment to global carbon neutrality which the company aims for by the year 2050 in a practical and sustainable way while also delivering mobility for all and the recent participation and actions of Toyota in Asia reflect this.
Finally, Toyota is developing a full line-up of electrified vehicles which the brand plans to introduce to the Asian market to expand carbon neutral and carbon reducing options for customers including hybrid cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
What do you guys think about this? Is Toyota ahead of the curve with hydrogen or is hydrogen not the future?
