Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus hopes to be the primary crew to finish the daunting Baja 1000 with zero emissions, and plan to take action with the SCG 008 Hydrogen Gasoline Cell (HFC) automotive.
Launched in 2022, the SCG 008’s customary ICE type is a package automotive (that means it ships with most elements however clients should purchase others just like the engine themselves) that mixes components of the SCG Boot with the 004 sports activities automotive. The 004 has been utilized by the crew in endurance races just like the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, whereas the Boot—primarily based on Steve McQueen’s automotive of the identical identify that raced within the Nineteen Sixties—gained Class 2 on the 2019 and 2020 Baja 1000s with Sonora Rally director Darren Skilton as driver.
Group proprietor Jim Glickenhaus described the 008 as being like a rallycross or rally raid model of the 004. Certainly, the design of the 008 is modelled after the 004 and each are three-seater automobiles with the driving force’s seat within the centre. In any other case, the 008’s bodywork is produced from fibreglass quite than carbon fibre. It additionally makes use of a carbon metal chassis with unbiased rear suspension.
The HFC model will use 700-psi hydrogen tanks that may be swapped out inside a “jiffy”, with an meant vary of roughly 150 miles within the desert.
“We hope to show that this may be accomplished safely with fast secure refueling,” wrote Glickenhaus. “We’re additionally growing a HFC choose up truck. We’re additionally engaged on viable refueling stations and viable distant refueling options.
“We consider Hydrogen can be part of the long run and that we will get an equal quantity of Hydrogen to the greenback price of diesel.”
Curiosity in growing a hydrogen automotive has pervaded SCG because the flip of the last decade. In late 2021, the crew expressed plans to construct an HFC mannequin of the Boot, that includes an enormous gas tank on the rear that will retailer liquid hydrogen at –252.87° C (–423.17° F). Across the identical time, Glickenhaus additionally deliberate a hydrogen pickup truck dubbed the 010 Zero.
Whereas conventional ICE stays the predominant energy supply in racing right this moment, varied sanctioning our bodies together with Baja 1000 organiser SCORE Worldwide have given options extra love in current instances; the 2024 SCORE season is the primary to characteristic the Professional Baja-e Moto class for electrical bikes. Hydrogen race automobiles have seen motion in sports activities automotive occasions whereas Excessive E will transition to Excessive H in 2025. In January, the Dakar Rally débuted the Mission 1000 class for non-petrol automobiles, the place the highest car was a MAN truck that relied on a mixture of hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil.
The 2024 Baja 1000 will happen on 12–17 November.
