A hydrogen engine car by Ligier and Bosch

As part of the Hydrogen Village at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ligier Automotive and Bosch presented the JS2 R H2: a racing car powered by a hydrogen engine. The vehicle was designed with the help of Bosch Engineering (you can watch here our interview of Jorg Ruger, the CEO of Bosch Engineering).

It’s an alliance between a renowned sports car manufacturer and an automotive equipment supplier at the cutting-edge of hydrogen technology. Bosch Engineering has developed a demonstrator for Ligier Automotive, designed to develop and test hydrogen technologies. The car arrived at Le Mans on Thursday morning, where it proudly takes center stage in the Hydrogen Village, alongside MissionH24, the Alpine Alpenglow, GCK’s Foenix H2 GT and a Toyota ‘mystery car‘ that was revealed yesterday.

Technically speaking, the GT has three hydrogen tanks (supplied by Hexagon Purus) with a total capacity of 6.3 kg. The engine is a 3-litre V6 Biturbo petrol engine with a 570 hp. Bosch Engineering has adapted this engine to hydrogen and guarantees that it emits very low levels of nitrogen oxides.

Partnerships and synergies within Ligier

“This car is directly inspired by our GT racing car, the Ligier JS2 R,” explains Ligier Chairman Jacques Nicolet. He adds: “It has been completely adapted to incorporate all the constraints of a combustion engine powered by hydrogen. To do this, we had to make the most advanced use of composite materials in the fuel tanks and chassis, to achieve the right balance between weight and rigidity, and therefore the highest level of safety possible. Less than eight months later, the Ligier JS2 RH2 was making its maiden voyage.”

As part of this project, Ligier Automotive collaborated with HP Composites in Italy for the composite materials. The laboratory and R&D were made in partnership with Carbon Mind and the training with Ecodime.

“We couldn’t have done it without the synergies between our different structures, which are dedicated to these very specific fields, and through which we can respond quickly and effectively to the expectations of major manufacturers. Not to mention the high level of motivation of our teams,” concludes the Chairman of Ligier Automotive.

While both players have opted for a hydrogen engine, the fuel cell will also be part of the competition. The Le Mans Hydrogène LMH2 Symposium will undoubtedly bring the two solutions face to face. The event, of which we will be media partner, will be held on 26 and 27 September in Le Mans.

Do you want to learn more about Ligier and Bosch hydrogen racing car? Then this article from last month should interest you.

Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King