Here is great news for those who are looking forward to the Extreme E racing which next race is going to be held in the coming July 13-14 in Scotland. Extreme E is a well known electric off-road racing series. Conduct annually.
The recent announcement by the authority that the 2025 season of the racing is going to be transit to use hydrogen instead of batteries. In this row it also unveiled the new car that will come next year along with the new name from Extreme E to Extreme H.. Currently the fourth season of the racing is going on, having had the first race weekend in Saudi Arabia.
However, electric vehicles need to get energy from somewhere, for that series has been using green hydrogen- made with renewable energy instead of methane gas. That increases the cost but from the coming Season 5, Extreme E is “cutting out the middle man.” But from 2025 the cars get power straight form the hydrogen to electric power onboard the car, instead form an offboard fuel cell.’ This transition marks the debut of the “Pioneer 25,” the vehicle for the next season, under the rebranded name Extreme H, starting in 2025.
Pioneer 25 Race car is unveils by Extreme H
Extreme H has introduced the Pioneer 25, a hydrogen-powered race car that shares many similarities with it’s predecessor, the Odyssey 21. But the new Pioneer 25 comes with more advanced technology and notable differences.
Both vehicles boast impressive specs such as ~400kW/550h, a 0-62mph acceleration in 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of ~200kph (~124mph). Also they can scale slopes up to 130% (53º), making them formidable contenders on the race track.
But the coming Pioneer 25 race car is much more then the previous one. It is slightly wider at 2.4 meters compared to the Odyssey’s 2.3 meters. The Pioneer 25 weighs 2,200kg, nearly 350 kg over the Odyssey 21’s 1,895 kg, which raises many questions about whether it maintains similar acceleration times with no change in motor power. Also the Odyssey 21, has two seats with the driver offset to the left, but the Pioneer 25 features a central driver position, enhancing balance and control.
The massive weight difference raises the concern how the vehicles can quote the same 0-60 time especially for a race car that has the same power available and no difference in motor power. But the additional weight of the Pioneer 25 may stem from the components unique to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs), such as the fuel cell stack and high-pressure hydrogen tank.
For battery the Pioneer will have a relatively large battery in comparison of Odyssey’s 54-kWh (40-kWh usable) battery pack that is good for the racing like Extreme E. This tank, designed to endure the rigorous conditions of Extreme H races, could be heavily reinforced, contributing to the overall increase in weight.
Extreme H says that “overall performance of the car has taken a big step forward.” And that the suspension geometry of the car has been fully redesigned. But both the Odyssey 20 and the Pioneer 25 utilize FOX suspension, known for its robustness in off-road conditions.
Exciting! For hydrogen racing cars, The Pioneer 25 will make its public debut at the Hydro X Prix in Scotland on July 13-14, Extreme H has also announced a provisional list of race locations for the upcoming year, with events scheduled in Saudi Arabia, the UK, Germany, Italy and the USA.
