With Extreme E set to transition to Extreme H in 2025, the latter’s vehicle was revealed Thursday. Dubbed the Pioneer 25, it is built by Spark Racing Technology much like the XE predecessor Spark ODYSSEY 21.
The car measures in at six metres long, 1.9 metres wide, and 2.4 metres high and weighs 2,200 kilograms. By comparison, the ODYSSEY 21’s dimensions are 4.4×2.3×1.8 metres and is lighter by 550 kg. The 50-litre hydrogen fuel cell was made by Symbio and is capable of 75 kW of output. The accompanying battery pack from Fortescue ZERO, which the hydrogen fuel cell relays into, holds 325 kW of power. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, approximately the same as the ODYSSEY 21.
Spark designed the chassis, a tubular space frame with composite impact structures. It also features a double wishbone suspension and shock absorbers from FOX.
Unlike its predecessor, the Pioneer 25’s driver seat is situated in the centre of the car. The bodywork and lights have also been modified to better resemble production vehicles.
“We’ve learnt a lot from the ODYSSEY 21, which we have carried forwards, but it’s an all-new chassis and a purpose-built racing car for the hydrogen fuel cell,” commented series technical director Mark Grain. “We wanted the racing to be more intense and we wanted the race cars to be faster.
“The Pioneer 25 is a significant upgrade on the ODYSSEY 21. Overall performance of the car has taken a big step forward. The all-new suspension geometry with driver adjustable shock absorbers from FOX on the Extreme H car provides a great platform for the power and torque that’s going to be available to the drivers.
“We’ve demonstrated EVs can cope with very harsh environments and racing in hard conditions in Extreme E, so moving to Extreme H is a natural progression. We want to demonstrate to the world that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can be exciting, they can be rugged and they can be very robust. We want to carry through that development with the Pioneer 25.”
The car completed its first test in December, a year after the series’ concept was first unveiled. Extreme H was originally set for a début in 2024 before being pushed back a year to 2025 with plans of becoming an FIA World Championship by 2026.
