Extreme H has showcased its hydrogen-powered racing car – Pioneer 25 – as it begins preparations for its first season in 2025.
Extreme H, the groundbreaking new hydrogen racing series, today unveiled its pioneering centrepiece with the launch of its first-ever hydrogen-powered racing car. The ‘Pioneer 25’ hydrogen race car was revealed in front of global media and invited guests aboard the series’ St. Helena vessel, with London’s Tower Bridge; providing a stunning reveal setting as the countdown officially begins to its maiden season starting in April 2025.
The Extreme H series represents a bold step forward in the transition to clean energy, showcasing cutting-edge hydrogen technology in a competitive racing environment. The Pioneer 25 racing car, unveiled to acclaim, is designed to demonstrate the viability and performance capabilities of hydrogen fuel cells, setting a new standard for eco-friendly motorsport.
PIF is the first-ever Principal Partner across all three electric race series through the Electric 360 (E360) partnership, which includes Formula E, Extreme E and E1. The evolution of the championship would not be possible without the support of our strong suite of partners who will be involved in Extreme H, including PIF, ENOWA NEOM, Vodafone Business, Symbio, Siemens and Jackson Swiss Partners.
Hailing the start of the championship’s exciting new hydrogen-powered era, Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme H, said: “We are incredibly proud to introduce the world to the first hydrogen racing car and the Extreme H series. This launch is not just about a new vehicle; it’s about pioneering the future of sustainable motorsport. Hydrogen fuel cells offer a remarkable opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint and promote clean energy solutions, and we are proud to lead this charge with Extreme H.
The evolution to Extreme H is a momentous moment for our championship. It’s important for every motorsport series to have a unique selling point and hydrogen is very significant. We are undoubtedly hydrogen pioneers, the first in this space, and we are excited to showcase the potential of an element that, in large parts, remains a hugely untapped resource. The large-scale adoption of hydrogen could have enormous benefits not just across motorsport and the automotive industry, but could also unearth a wealth of positive benefits for the future of the planet. Along with our global partners, including PIF – our Principal Partner – we will continue to redefine the growth of electric sports across the E360 series.
“Our evolution to Extreme H makes us the first-ever testbed of hydrogen technology in motorsport – not only in our racing cars, but also transportation, infrastructure, refuelling processes and safety regulations. It’s a ground-breaking initiative. Our racing series has always been unique, but its future as Extreme H undoubtedly marks Racing’s New Frontier.”
The Extreme H Pioneer 25 was revealed adorned in a special Red Bull livery at the official launch to mark the arrival of the energy drink giant as the championship’s Official Energy Drinks Partner.
The Pioneer 25
The Extreme H car, aptly titled the Pioneer 25 as the series begins its innovative new era, is a completely new car, which has been in development ever since the announcement of the world’s first hydrogen motor racing championship was made in 2022. The car is designed and manufactured by Spark Racing Technology and equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell from Symbio, Extreme H’s Official Fuel Cell Provider, and has undergone an intensive testing programme equivalent to three seasons of racing in readiness for its debut campaign.
Symbio will provide a 75kW hydrogen fuel cell replacing the battery as the principal energy source. The hydrogen fuel cell powers the battery pack that is produced and supported trackside by Fortescue ZERO. Hydrogen fuel cells represent a technological revolution that is now becoming a widespread reality, with this technology already being used behind the scenes in Extreme E, where it provides the energy source to the vehicle’s batteries.
The Pioneer 25’s peak 400kw (550hp) output is capable of firing the 2200 kilogram, 2.4 metre-wide race car from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds and scale gradients of up to 130 per cent. Each Pioneer 25 raced in Extreme H comprises a common package of standardised parts from Spark Racing Technology. One open area for teams is the ability to redesign front and rear bodywork and lights in order to replicate the look of everyday car models.
The next major milestone for Extreme H will be the first public test of the Pioneer 25, which will take place at Extreme E’s Hydro X Prix in Scotland next month (13-14 July).
Mark Grain, Technical Director at Extreme E, said: “There has been no compromise with the Pioneer 25. Spark Racing Technology and Symbio have done a tremendous job in developing the Extreme H car, which is fit for our exciting new era as a hydrogen-powered championship. We’ve learnt a lot from the ODYSSEY 21, which we have carried forwards, but it’s an all-new chassis and a purpose-built racing car for the hydrogen fuel cell. We wanted the racing to be more intense and we wanted the race cars to be faster. The Pioneer 25 is a significant upgrade on the ODYSSEY 21. Overall performance of the car has taken a big step forward.
“The all-new suspension geometry with driver adjustable shock absorbers from FOX on the Extreme H car provides a great platform for the power and torque that’s going to be available to the drivers. We’ve demonstrated EVs can cope with very harsh environments and racing in hard conditions in Extreme E, so moving to Extreme H is a natural progression. We want to demonstrate to the world that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can be exciting, they can be rugged and they can be very robust. We want to carry through that development with the Pioneer 25.”
The teams and partners
The reveal of a new era for the championship drew praise from teams currently competing in the series. Carlos Sainz, Owner/Advisor of ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “Venturing into hydrogen is a really exciting prospect for our series. It is all about pioneering new paths into sustainable mobility and this championship is unique in the sense that it puts the latest technology to the test in the toughest environments in the world. Hydrogen has a future both on the road but also in racing. Extreme H will be a world-first and a key stepping stone into that tomorrow.”
Jenson Button, team owner of the JBXE Extreme E team, said: “For Extreme E to be evolving into Extreme H is incredibly exciting and a brilliant step forward in such a short space of time for the series. To see racing of this calibre powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which will allow for even more racing with less impact, is remarkable.”
Ian James, Managing Director, NEOM McLaren Electric Racing and Team Principal, NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, said: “As a team that currently competes in the Extreme E Championship, we’ve been excited to see the plans for Extreme H take shape. We believe that this is a great direction for the Championship – tapping into a new technology that is currently underrepresented within motorsport. Hydrogen provides a genuine solution for the future of mobility and Extreme H will provide an exciting platform to showcase its potential. Coupled with its unmatched focus on equality, the Championship continues to be a pioneer in motorsport. We will watch further developments with interest.”
Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner who will compete in the series later this year, said: “This is a forward-thinking championship and the evolution to hydrogen and Extreme H is so innovative. From a technical standpoint the changeover to hydrogen in 2025 is really intriguing and the entire motorsports community is watching closely, and we are really looking forward to being a part of it.”
Kimmo Liimatainen, Team Principal of Rosberg X Racing, said: “This new era of motorsport is exciting to witness. The launch of Extreme H is a natural step forward, improving technology and racing while keeping Extreme E’s core values in the race against climate change. Our team’s current focus remains on this season of Extreme E and hopefully securing our third Championship, but Extreme H is an exciting venture for all of us to consider.”
Dan Bailey, CEO of E.ON Next Veloce Racing, said: “It is great to see the plans and first car for the Extreme H championship unveiled, for what is a landmark moment for motorsport. E.ON Next Veloce Racing always supports innovation, which is exactly why we got involved in Extreme E from the very beginning. Hydrogen is a key pillar for the future of the automotive industry, and we’re excited and supportive of the future plans for the championship and its hydrogen-powered future.”
Roger Griffiths, Team Principal of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: “As we continue to explore sustainable innovations in motorsport, we commend the launch of Extreme H and its ambitious move towards hydrogen-powered racing. At Andretti Global, we have always supported initiatives that push the boundaries of technology while prioritising environmental interests. The development of green hydrogen as a fuel source represents an exciting advancement in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, and we look forward to seeing how Extreme H will inspire further progress and innovation within motorsport and beyond.”
Wolfgang Grabher, CEO of SUN AG, said: “We are excited to be part of the first hydrogen-powered motorsport championship and believe in the future of hydrogen.”
Season 1 calendar
At the official launch the championship’s first-ever race calendar was unveiled with 10 rounds across five locations set for Extreme H’s debut campaign. The series will open in Saudi Arabia, as the Extreme E calendar has done in its four previous seasons, before the European leg of the campaign begins in the U.K, a maiden visit to Germany, and a return to Italy. The 2025 Extreme H season finale will take place in the U.S.A to mark the Pioneer 25’s debut in North America. Exact dates and locations for the 2025 season will be confirmed later this year.
Alejandro Agag, added: “The launch of Extreme H marks an evolution of our championship, but there is so much from the years of learning and successes we have had so far which will carry over into our hydrogen future. Our series is going to improve, but the elements which work will remain the same. We will continue to pioneer gender equality, leading the way with our equal male and female driver gender format. We have shown that the increased opportunities for women drivers to display their racing talent through our championship is unprecedented. Our sporting format has been tweaked a lot since we first launched, but now we have a formula which works and makes for hugely exciting racing.
“Our races allow us to engineer the car in a different way, which optimises hydrogen, and delivers a great sporting product. As a natural evolution of our mission to showcase cutting-edge climate technology, this shift symbolises a new chapter, and it’s a testament to the championship’s success in advancing e-mobility and extreme motorsport, marking a clear evolution and ensuring pioneering solutions in e-mobility is at the core of our championship long-term. As a series we have always remained open-minded to opportunities, and transforming our series to accelerate the development of hydrogen as a solution for future mobility is a bold step, but one which we, the teams, the drivers and our partners are hugely energised by.”
Hydrogen Hub
At the end of 2023, the championship announced the launch of a collaboration with Formula 1 and the FIA to bring together their collective expertise in a strategic alliance to evaluate developments and potential applications for hydrogen within motorsport and wider mobility. The Hydrogen Hub will monitor the progression and development of hydrogen technology – both for the fuel cells and battery systems which will be used in Extreme H’s first-generation racing chassis – as well as hydrogen technology within race site infrastructure, transportation, charging, storage and management, as well as regarding its safety implications.
On the role of the new Hydrogen Hub, Agag said: “Motorsport has historically held the role of innovator and being the first ones to market. Extreme H and the Hydrogen Hub really captures that – it feels like it is showing the way forward and taking a big risk for a big reward. Collaboration is going to be so crucial when driving innovation in this industry. Our sport has a tradition of bringing new technologies to the forefront of public perception in incredibly short timescales. This will include the use of hydrogen, and the Hydrogen Hub enables a wider collaboration, which will allow us to gain first-hand experience and contribute to the understanding and development of the many aspects of hydrogen propulsion that Extreme H will embrace.
“Bringing together some of the brightest minds and biggest names in a strategic alliance can only be a positive in developing hydrogen technology as a practical, low-carbon solution for e-mobility. The FIA is the international regulator for motorsport and we are working very closely with them, particularly on safety, and they are part of the Hydrogen Hub. Formula 1 is of course the biggest racing championship in the world and the pinnacle of motorsport. We are interested in partnering with them to see what the future brings in terms of technology and for them to have an eye on hydrogen. That’s why they are partners of the Hydrogen Hub.”
The future
With news of the teams and drivers to compete in Extreme H to be announced imminently, testing and developing the Pioneer 25 will continue at pace. As well as a demonstration at the Hydro X Prix in Scotland, the Pioneer 25 will also undergo an intensive test at the Island X Prix in Sardinia in September.
Agag summarised: “Firstly, any racing championship has to be exciting. We think we have an amazing car with huge performance. Fans can expect the same excitement with completely new technology. We are going on an adventure and going into unchartered waters. The important thing, though, is to get going and that is what we are going to do. We want to be the ones who show the way for the future of mobility and hydrogen.
“This evolution not only promises faster and more intense races, but also signifies a commitment to exploring the potential of hydrogen as a sustainable and powerful source of energy, revolutionising carbon-free mobility on a global scale.”
The Extreme E Season will get underway in April 2025, with exciting updates still to come on race teams and partners. The first public outing of the Extreme H Pioneer 25 car is expected to take place at Extreme E’s next race in Scotland next month, July 13-14 2024.
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[Note: The story is as per press release]