TR LH2 Racing Prototype demonstration at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans

Motorsport organization

Motorsport organization

Global automotive manufacturer active in passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and motorsport programs, including development of hydrogen technologies for road cars and racing.

A hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2 ICE) is a modified version of a conventional ICE that burns hydrogen instead of gasoline or diesel, often using spark ignition and adapted fuel and air delivery systems to cope with hydrogen’s different properties.[10] Toyota has been developing hydrogen combustion engines in racing since 2021, initially in the Super Taikyu series with gaseous hydrogen and later with liquid hydrogen, and is now applying a hydrogen combustion powertrain in its TR LH2 Racing Prototype to demonstrate the sound, feel and performance potential of this technology in endurance racing.[1][10]

Liquid hydrogen storage involves cooling hydrogen gas to cryogenic temperatures so that it becomes a liquid, allowing a greater mass of hydrogen to be stored in a given volume than with high‑pressure gaseous tanks, which is valuable for range‑limited, high‑demand applications such as endurance racing.[9][10] Toyota’s GR Corolla H2 Concept and GR/TR LH2 race prototypes use liquid hydrogen tanks in place of compressed gas cylinders to increase onboard fuel capacity and extend cruising range between refuelling stops, which is crucial for viability in 24‑hour events.[10][1]

Pays de la Loire (Sarthe department)