Hydrogen race cars to be exhibited at Le Mans H2 Village

The H24EVO hydrogen prototype, developed by the MissionH24 initiative, will be the central showpiece of the ACO H2 Village at next month's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The H2 Village opens to the public on Wednesday, June 11, featuring exhibits of hydrogen mobility and motorsport technologies from various key partners.

As the latest prototype developed by MissionH24, the H24EVO (pictured above) was first revealed in 2023, and the first H24EVO show car made its public appearance at the H2 Village last year. In January, MissionH24 announced that it would be changing from gaseous hydrogen storage to liquid hydrogen, to match the FIA's shift in direction towards the use of liquid hydrogen for future motorsport applications.

The H24EVO will be powered by a 300-kilowatt Symbio multi-stack fuel cell and a 650 KW electric motor to drive the rear wheels, at a target weight of 1,300 kilograms. MissionH24 projects the H24EVO to have an equivalent pace to current LMGT3 cars. The car is expected to begin bench testing in October and track testing in April 2026, in anticipation of the launch of a new FIA World Endurance Championship category for hydrogen vehicles - scheduled to launch in 2028.

Julien Delfosse/DPPI

The car will be showcased inside a transparent dome bubble next to other hydrogen prototypes which are scheduled to appear, including the Ligier JS2 RH2 and the Alpine Alpenglow HY6 (pictured above).

Both the Ligier and Alpenglow will also take part in on-track demonstration runs on Thursday, June 12, and before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday, June 14.

“We're proud to see the Ligier JS2 RH2 running alongside Alpenglow during these demonstration laps," said Richard Tur, COO of Ligier Automotive. "It highlights our ability to work on innovative projects with partners and on behalf of major manufacturers like Alpine. But our work doesn't stop there. With the FIA prioritizing liquid hydrogen for motorsports, we're now focusing our R&D efforts in that direction.”