The Dakar Rally, a legendary motorsport event, is preparing to welcome a major innovation during its 2025 edition, scheduled for January 3 to 17 in Saudi Arabia. The Japanese consortium HySE, acronym for Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology Association, will enter a new hydrogen engine buggy prototype, the HySE-X2.
Suzuki commits to the hydrogen adventure
Suzuki, a historic player in the Japanese automobile industry, is joining the HySE project this year, alongside Honda, Kawasaki, Toyota and Yamaha. This collaboration aims to promote the development of hydrogen engines for small mobility. By participating in the 2025 Dakar, Suzuki intends to test and demonstrate the viability of these technologies in particularly demanding environments.
The HySE-X2 succeeds the HySE-X1, which finished fourth in its category during the 2024 Dakar. This new prototype presents several notable improvements:
- Engine : The vehicle is equipped with a 998 cc in-line four-cylinder hydrogen engine with double overhead camshafts and 16 valves. This supercharged engine has been optimized to increase efficiency at high revs and reduce consumption at medium revs. H2 Mobile
- Chassis : The chassis has been lengthened, allowing the integration of a fourth hydrogen tank. This modification also led to a reduction in the total weight of the vehicle, from 1,500 kg to 1,250 kg. H2 Mobile
- Hydrogen capacity : With four tanks at 700 bars, the HySE-X2 now carries 7.2 kg of hydrogen, thus increasing its autonomy and performance.
Hydrogen: a bold bet for the Dakar
The entry of the HySE-X2 in the “Mission 1000 ACT2” category of the Dakar 2025 reflects a desire to promote alternative engines in motorsport. This category, inaugurated in 2024, is dedicated to vehicles using low-carbon technologies, such as hydrogen, biofuels or hybrid engines.
The Dakar, renowned for its difficulty and the diversity of its terrain, offers a life-size laboratory to test the reliability and efficiency of hydrogen engines. The extreme conditions of the race will make it possible to identify the technical challenges specific to this technology and accelerate its development.
Perspectives for the future of hydrogen mobility
The participation of Suzuki and the HySE consortium in Dakar 2025 is part of a broader approach aimed at developing sustainable mobility solutions. By testing these vehicles in extreme environments, manufacturers hope to demonstrate the robustness and relevance of this technology for the future of automobiles.
This initiative could also influence regulations and public policies in favor of hydrogen, showing that this energy source is capable of meeting the requirements of the most demanding applications.
Suzuki’s commitment to the HySE project and the participation of the HySE-X2 in the 2025 Dakar represent a significant step forward in the exploration of this type of engine.. This approach demonstrates the desire of Japanese manufacturers to invest in sustainable mobility solutions, while meeting the technical challenges posed by this promising technology.
