In a little over a month and a half, the prestigious 2022 Dakar Rally is set to begin. The grueling race will push man and machine to the limit as they traverse the unforgiving deserts of Saudi Arabia. As the day draws near, manufacturers and groups participating steadily unveil their entries. There are a few that stand out and among them is the TheH2 RACING TRUCK.
So far, the cars that have caught people’s attention are the sustainable ones. Most automakers have already proven the reliability of their zero-emission models for everyday use. However, many are eager to show what they have under development for more challenging terrain. GAUSSIN intends to do exactly that with its hydrogen fuel cell behemoth.
Although the stocky silhouette seems to classify it under the T5 category, sources claim the TheH2 RACING TRUCK will be tagged as T4. Anyway, what really matters here is for GAUSSIN to highlight the capabilities of hydrogen-electric setups. Given the number of vehicles with similar powertrains, it will be an exciting event to spectate.
Renowned design group Pininfarina is responsible for the beefy yet sleek outline of the truck. In the meantime, its aerodynamic body rides on GAUSSIN’s modular EV architecture. The combination of the fuel cells and the 82-kWh batteries power two 402-horsepower electric motors. This pushes the TheH2 RACING TRUCK up to speeds of 90 mph with an approximate range of 155 miles.
Battery-electric systems may be the most dominant configurations right now, but hydrogen-powered technology is catching up. In fact, engineers find that the latter is a more feasible option for bigger forms of transportation. Depending on how well the GAUSSIN TheH2 RACING TRUCK tackles the extreme 2022 Dakar Rally, commercial models are sure to follow soon.
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