TOKYO (ANN/THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN) – A research association of four major Japanese domestic motorcycle manufacturers, including Honda Motor Co, has teamed up with Toyota Motor Corp to take part in the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in January 2024 with the introduction of a hydrogen vehicle.
The Dakar Rally is regarded as the world’s toughest car race for its demanding route through deserts and mountains.
Hydrogen engines do not emit carbon dioxide. The new team from Japan will use the opportunity to clarify problems with how such engines perform, and make the most of the findings for further development.
The team will join the race with their four-wheel vehicle HySE X1, which is fitted with a hydrogen engine developed by the research association, the member companies of which also include Yamaha Motor Co, Kawasaki Motors Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. The group calls itself the HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) research association.
Starting next year, the Dakar Rally will create a new category for vehicles with energy-efficient engines, such as hydrogen and electric vehicles. The Japanese team member companies will examine how to smoothly refuel the vehicle during the race and try to use the occasion to promote the technologies from Japan to the world. A life-size model of the HySE-X1 engine is set to be on display at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo from Thursday.
