A step towards clean motorsport
The Forze IX is making history in motorsport. Although the car is still under development, it successfully participated in the Supercar Challenge races. This racing class is typically dominated by combustion engine vehicles. The Forze IX develops a peak power of around 800 bhp, generated partly by fuel cells and an additional supercapacitor energy storage system. Despite being in an interim configuration, the team proved a crucial point. Hydrogen can already today be a powerful and emission-free alternative to fossil fuels, even in high-performance world of motorsport.
(© Forze Hydrogen Racing)
Live demonstration of hydrogen technology
Throughout the weekend, thousands of visitors had the chance to see a hydrogen-powered vehicle in action on the track. In the paddock, Forze students shared their technical approach and their mission: accelerating the energy transition through sustainable technology.
“With the Forze IX, we want to show what is already technically possible with hydrogen,” says Ryan Zondag, team manager of Forze. “We are still in the middle of the development phase, but we wanted to give the public a preview of what hydrogen can mean in a world where sustainability is urgently needed.”
The previous Forze VIII already achieved significant milestones, completing a full 60-minute race at the Supercar Challenge 2018 and finishing second place in the sports division in 2019.
Innovation serving the future
The Forze IX is the most advanced project Forze has developed to date. Featuring two fuel cell systems, doubling the power transmitted to four independent electric motors – one for each wheel, with four built-in hydrogen tanks providing a total capacity of 8.4 kilograms. The hydrogen-powered vehicle is equipped with electric all-wheel drive and intelligent control technology, the team is working towards a race car capable of competing with conventional vehicles on the track, but without harmful emissions. The project shows that hydrogen is not only applicable in heavy transport or industry, but also in sectors such as motorsport, where performance and efficiency must go hand in hand.
About Forze Hydrogen Racing
Forze Hydrogen Racing is a student team from Delft that specializes in hydrogen-powered racing. The team consists of students from various academic disciplines, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, and more. Together, they design, build, and race hydrogen-powered vehicles.
The goal of Forze Hydrogen Racing is to promote hydrogen technology and raise awareness of its potential as a sustainable energy carrier. Hydrogen is seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fossil fuels, as it produces no harmful emissions and hydrogen vehicles only emit water vapor as a byproduct.
Over the years, the team has developed several hydrogen race cars and has taken part in various international competitions and events. In doing so, they’ve not only sharpened their technical skills but also collaborated with partners from industry and research to further advance the technology.
