This month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race will not include the hydrogen-powered GreenGT H2 as its developers have pulled it, saying the car isn’t ready for such a grueling endurance race. The car will, however, continue its worldwide demonstration tour, which will kick off at the race.
The French and Swiss-designed vehicle is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered racer built as a Formula One racer. It was accepted into the Garage 56 innovative prototypes of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, replacing the Nissan Deltawing which proved itself last season. The slot will now be filled by an alternate, likely from Porsche.
In an announcement, GreenGT Head of Research and Development Jean-Francois Weber said that more time will be required to get the GreenGT H2 ready for such a high-profile, high-endurance race, but the team plans to re-enter for acceptance next year. the ACO’s Vincent Beaumesnil, sport director, said that the GreenGT H2 fits perfectly in the spirit of the Garage 56 program and indicated that it will likely be accepted next year.
He reported to Autoweek that “The technology of the GreenGT H2 is perfectly in line with the spirit of innovation that ACO intends to promote with Box 56,” said Vincent Beaumesnil, sports director of ACO. “It works, and the ACO was right in believing in the technological merits of this project. But the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a high endurance event, and it is premature for the GreenGT H2 to take up this challenge.”
The GreenGT H2 is a hydrogen fuel cell racer whose electric motors produce up to 540 horsepower. It promised to be a powerful contender in the race, given its fast fueling capability and relatively long endurance per H2 tank.
