As part of the Hyse* association, Toyota will be entering a new vehicle in the next Dakar rally. It will be a buggy with a hydrogen combustion engine derived from motorbikes. A world’s first.

We knew that Japanese motorbike manufacturers had set up a coalition around the hydrogen engine. Now they will be demonstrating their expertise in a buggy entered by… Toyota. The carmaker, which joined the club on 1 October, will be integrating this engine on board a machine called the Hyse-X1. On a technical level, it is a 998 cm3 block with 4 in-line cylinders and a turbo. He points out that the chassis was designed by Overdrive Racing, a Belgian service provider. Total weight is 1,500 kg.

This hydrogen-powered buggy also bears the Mission 1000 logo, the name of the programme set up by the Dakar from 2024 to test low-carbon energies. In other words: hydrogen, 100% electric or hybrid engines with a minimal amount of bio-fuel on board.

A hydrogen buggy: a showcase for the hydrogen engine

Toyota’s vehicle will be fitted with a hydrogen tank and an adapted supply circuit. It will also act as a showcase. Kenji Komatsu, President of Hyse and Yamaha’s Technical Director, believes that this is “the best way of communicating and resolving any technical problems that may arise.” As for Toyota, it sees potential for the hydrogen engine in the field of light mobility.

In any case, this initiative is further proof of the growing popularity of the hydrogen engine. A model of this buggy will be on display in Tokyo on the Toyota stand at the Japan Mobility Show, from 25 October to 5 November.

To find out more about Hyse, click here. The Dakar will be held in Saudi Arabia from 5 to 19 January 2024.

*Hydrogen Small Mobility & Engine Technology: an engine research association comprising Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha.

Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King