Toyota Motor Corporation has taken a significant step forward in advancing hydrogen mobility and expanding the hydrogen ecosystem by completing a 24-hour endurance race with a liquid hydrogen-powered vehicle incorporating superconducting technology for the first time in the world. Despite experiencing technical issues during the race, the team overcame the challenges and proved the technology's durability under extreme conditions.
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) announced on June 7 that its No. 32 Hydrogen Engine GR Corolla Concept, equipped with a superconducting pump, successfully completed the third round of the Super Taikyu Series 2026--the Fuji 24-Hour Race--held at Fuji Speedway in Japan from June 5 to 7. The vehicle finished the grueling race after completing 483 laps over 24 hours.
The Super Taikyu Series is Japan's largest endurance racing championship for development vehicles based on production cars. Toyota has been using the ST-Q class, which is reserved for manufacturer-developed experimental vehicles, as a public platform to advance and showcase its hydrogen engine technology.
The highlight of this year's race was the real-world durability test of Toyota's superconducting pump technology, first announced at the final round of last season. The system takes advantage of liquid hydrogen's ultra-low temperature of minus 253 degrees Celsius to power a superconducting motor--whose electrical resistance drops to zero--without requiring a separate refrigeration unit, marking a world-first application.
The technology allows the motor to be installed inside the hydrogen tank, maximizing packaging efficiency and increasing tank capacity from 220 liters to 300 liters. As a result, the vehicle was designed to achieve a continuous driving range of up to 40 laps on a single refueling.
The process of validating the superconducting technology was not without challenges. During the race, Toyota spent approximately three and a half hours carrying out a planned replacement of the liquid hydrogen tank and pump system while assessing hydrogen boil-off and overall system stability. The team also faced a critical moment when the vehicle temporarily stopped on track due to an electrical system issue.
However, quick troubleshooting allowed the car to return to the race. Although it fell slightly short of its target of 500 laps, the vehicle successfully completed 483 laps and endured the full 24 hours. The achievement reflects the results of “Team Japan” collaboration efforts involving Kyoto University and the newly participating Railway Technical Research Institute, which helped push the boundaries of the technology.
Tomoya Takahashi emphasized that Toyota's hydrogen mobility strategy is not focused solely on setting a timetable for vehicle commercialization, but on building the broader hydrogen ecosystem.
“Hydrogen fuel remains expensive today, so the priority is for all stakeholders to work together to lower costs,” Takahashi said. He added that Toyota's basic policy is to remain fully prepared to deliver hydrogen-powered products to consumers as soon as market conditions are ready.
Meanwhile, Akio Toyoda participated in the event as a driver under his racing alias, Morizo, joining the challenge as part of Toyota's carbon-neutral “Multi-Pathway” strategy. His son, Daisuke Toyoda, also competed as a member of Toyota Gazoo Rookie Racing (TGRR). Together, they completed the 24-hour race, embodying Toyota's philosophy of “making ever-better cars through motorsports.”
