The ‘green’ revolution has arrived at the Dakar and the future makes its way through the dunes of the toughest rally-raid in the world. Although it is true that the Audi RS Q e-tron monopolizes a large part of the media focus for being a revolutionary hybrid 4×4, the truth is that there are other projects in which alternative energies are committed. At Motor.es we have already told you about the EcoPower and Avatel project to revive the EBRO brand through a 100% electric ‘Side by Side’ built with a totally ecological bodywork designed from recyclable flax fibers and resins. In trucks, Hino leads the electrification of ‘desert elephants’ on the Dakar.
Nevertheless, other ongoing projects are just as interesting. Although it is true that for now there is no news of the proposal of Cyril Despres and Mike Horn with their GEN-Z H2, a buggy powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, the GCK Motorsport team works on its particular alternative. While the objective of the Guerlain Chicherit structure is to compete with a 4×4 also powered by hydrogen, at the Dakar 2022 they will opt for a half-way solution as they work on this vehicle for 2023. This is how the GCK Thunder was born, a prototype that will be powered by bioethanol.
The GCK Thunder is born from the base offered by the Peugeot 3008 DKR, although it has been reconverted for use with biotenanol. It has a power of 340 hp and a rear-wheel drive system which offers a good basis for the future project of GCK Motorsport. In fact, it is the same mechanical base that the e-Blast H2 will use, the vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell, although with the pertinent changes to use this technology. The goal is to be the first hydrogen-powered vehicle on the Dakar and if Cyril Despres and Mike Horn or other projects don’t speed up, it looks like GCK can do it.