Extreme H: Extreme E unveils plans for Hydrogen off-road racing series

The St Helena transports all Extreme E's freight and logistics equipment

The electric Extreme E series plans to launch an off-road hydrogen championship in 2024 named Extreme H.

It would sit alongside Extreme E, racing in the same locations, on the same days with the same sport format.

It would also utilise Extreme E's current provisions such as the St Helena, the refurbished ship which transports all its cars and equipment.

Electric and hydrogen are seen as rival paths for a sustainable motorsport of the future and last year Ross Brawn, Formula 1's managing director for motorsports, told the BBC hydrogen-powered cars, rather than electric, could be the future of F1.

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Launched in 2021, Extreme E uses various methods to keep its overall carbon footprint as low as possible, racing battery-powered 4x4 cars in locations affected by climate change and incorporating 'legacy' projects.

Extreme E founder Alejandro Agag said: "It has become increasingly clear to us that creating a hydrogen racing series is a natural evolution of our mission to showcase the possibilities of new technologies in the race to fight climate issues."

Development for the Extreme H vehicle is already under way, with the aim to launch a prototype in early 2023.

It will retain the same powertrain and chassis used in Extreme E, but a hydrogen fuel cell will replace the battery as the principal energy source.

Green hydrogen sources will be used to power the Extreme H fuel cells, created using a combination of solar and water, This technology is already being used in Extreme E to provide the energy source to the vehicle's batteries.

Agag added: "Sport is the fastest and most effective platform for driving innovation and, by using the existing Extreme E platform, we can also utilise our transport, talent and operations to ensure we are minimising footprint in the process.

"This effectively means we can have double the race action, with marginal additional impact."

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