- The series will use the Pioneer 25 car at ten events next year
- Extreme H brings Red Bull as partner
Extreme H has has unveiled its first hydrogen-powered racing car ahead of the off-road series’ debut season in 2025.
The Pioneer 25 hydrogen racing car was unveiled at Tower Bridge in London on board the St. Helena ship, owned by Extreme H and used to transport vehicles to races. The car was designed and manufactured by Spark Racing Technology and can reach a speed of 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
Each vehicle is powered by a 75-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell from Symbio, the series’ official fuel cell supplier. Teams can redesign the front and rear bodywork and lights to replicate the look of everyday car models.
“We are incredibly proud to introduce the world’s first hydrogen race car and the Extreme H Series,” said Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme H. “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 advance clean energy solutions, and we are proud to lead this change alongside Extreme H.”
Extreme H is the continuation of the Extreme E electric off-road racing series, which has been running since 2021. Extreme H’s debut season includes ten rounds at five locations, starting in Saudi Arabia before moving on to the UK, Germany and Italy.
After the European leg, the series finale is scheduled to take place in the USA. Calendar dates, teams and drivers will be confirmed later this year. In 2026, the series will become an official world championship of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Speaking to Blackbook Motorsport, Extreme H Managing Director Ali Russell confirmed that the series will maintain successful aspects of Extreme E, such as gender parity among drivers, while also further developing the technology of the cars.
While he knows it is challenging to maintain interest in the series as events span several months due to a commitment to sustainable transport, Russell says Extreme H is “trying to change the sport” by taking a comprehensive approach to engaging competitors using a range of content.
Russell says Extreme H has benefited from being the first series to use hydrogen fuel, particularly given the importance of identifying alternative fuels for the road in the future.
“What perhaps sets us apart from others who want to go in this direction is that we have a working car that we have already tested for three racing seasons and have had no problems,” says Russell.
“We have incredible reliability, we are building 10 more cars right now. And next year we will be racing. That tells me that a lot of people are talking about things or sitting by. We are not. We are engaging, we are making things happen and we are showing that there is a future and that this future can make sustainability sexy.”
At the launch of the car, Extreme H also announced Red Bull as the series’ official energy drink partner. Russell describes the partnership as “very symbiotic” and mutually beneficial, citing the drinks giant’s interest in the hydrogen aspect of the series.
“Having not only an energy drink partner but also a media platform like Red Bull means we reach a much wider audience, but also an audience that is very open to the consumption of extreme sports,” says Russell.
“We want to appeal to a much younger audience and that’s the audience that’s so hard to reach. It’s not about putting it on BBC One or ITV, it’s about getting it out on different platforms. That might be YouTube or Facebook, maybe even more youth-oriented, like TikTok and Snapchat and so on. It’s also important to do that globally, whether it’s Weibo or Youku in China.
“It’s about figuring out how we can do that together and how we can use their portfolio of sports stars to amplify that message. When you look at sports stars, they are broadcasters themselves.”
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