Toyota’s motorsport division, Gazoo Racing, will enter a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) into the 2027 Dakar Rally.
Based on the existing DKR GR Hilux, the car will compete in Dakar’s Future Mission 1000 category for experimental vehicles demonstrating new technology – marking the first time Toyota has combined hydrogen and fuel cell technology in motorsport.
Emitting nothing but water from the tailpipe, the DKR GR FC Hilux replaces its petrol engine for a hydrogen fuel cell system, and has already begun its testing program in Belgium ahead of its Dakar debut in January.
The aim is for the DKR GR FC Hilux to prove the performance, safety and reliability of fuel cell technology during the Dakar’s 13 stages and 1,000 competitive kilometers, with a particular focus on fuel cell downsizing, optimum cooling, durability and energy management.
Lessons learned from the event will then be applied to the road car market.
Toyota has demonstrated hybrid technology in off-road motorsport before, completing demonstration runs with the GR Yaris H2 at the 2022 Ypres Rally Belgium. A rally version, the GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept, was also demonstrated at last year’s Rally Finland as well as this year’s Monte Carlo Rally.
