Toyota is pushing its hydrogen powertrain research into endurance racing to test the limits of liquid hydrogen technology. The automaker debuted two new vehicles at the Fuji 24 Hours Race and the Le Mans 24 Hours, utilizing the GR Corolla H2 Concept and the TR LH2 Racing Prototype. These cars run on internal combustion engines but are fuelled by liquid hydrogen, a method Toyota has studied since 1996.
The GR Corolla H2 Concept completed 468 laps at Fuji, using a new super-conducting hydrogen pump. This device compresses liquid hydrogen as it leaves the tank to reach the engine. Because super-conductivity requires extreme low temperatures—around -253 degrees Celsius—the motor can be mounted inside the tank rather than on top. This design change increases tank capacity from 220 litres to 300 litres.
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Moving the heavy motor unit lower inside the tank also lowers the vehicle’s centre of gravity. Toyota claims this should improve handling and vehicle trends. The car uses a hydrogen version of the GR Yaris three-cylinder engine paired with a Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT). This is the first time the DAT has been used with a hydrogen engine. The DAT is an eight-speed torque-converter automatic developed for racing and rallying. Toyota states it is faster than a manual transmission and faster than a dual-clutch transmission.
The GR Corolla first appeared with Rookie Racing in the Super Taikyu Series as the ORC Rookie GR Corolla H2 Concept. It used gaseous hydrogen from 2021 before switching to liquid hydrogen in 2023. Toyota also tested hydrogen ICE technology on the GR Yaris H2 during demonstration runs at the 2022 Ypres Rally. The program includes experiments with recycling ‘boil-off gas’ to avoid waste as liquid hydrogen evaporates.
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Testing at Le Mans
The TR LH2 Racing Concept is based on the GR010 Hybrid WEC car and was previously shown at Goodwood. It has been raised to the ‘Racing Prototype’ class as the TR LH2. The vehicle completed a demonstration lap at La Sarthe on June 11, ahead of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Toyota’s TR010 Hybrid WEC car won that race. The new prototypes continue the automaker’s long-term effort to develop hydrogen fuel.
Toyota has spent decades refining hydrogen technology, moving from the FCEV-1 prototype in 1996 to these endurance racing platforms. The shift to liquid hydrogen allows for greater storage density and potentially longer race stints. By integrating the pump and motor directly into the fuel tank structure, engineers have freed up space and improved the weight distribution of the vehicle. The use of the DAT in this setup provides a different driving experience compared to the gaseous hydrogen cars used in previous years. The program tests these complex systems under the extreme conditions of 24-hour endurance racing.