A strategic partnership has been signed between Bosch Engineering and Ligier Automotive for the development of high-performance hydrogen engine vehicles. Initially, the companies will build a demonstration vehicle based on the Ligier JS2 R, complete with a new carbon monocoque chassis with three integrated hydrogen tanks. Delivering drive will be a V6 petrol engine converted to run on the sustainable fuel.
As development work on the vehicle and its technology progresses, both Bosch Engineering and Ligier Automotive anticipate that the vehicle will be ready for on-track testing in the summer. During the project, Bosch Engineering will be responsible for the overall vehicle concept, including the engine, the hydrogen storage tank and a holistic safety concept for the hydrogen. Vehicle technology expert Liger Automotive will manage the vehicle architecture alongside integrating the hydrogen and cooling systems.
The project aims to develop and build a high-performance, hydrogen engine vehicle that offers the same driving dynamics as petrol-powered sports vehicles. Once complete, the project will showcase the fuel’s potential and the developments made in engine management and hydrogen storage.
The Ligier JS2 RH2 will be at Le Mans 24 Hours in June 2023.
“As an engineering service provider, we are open to technology and see it as our task to explore the various technical options on the path to climate-neutral mobility in parallel and to devise the best solution in each case for all the requirements of our worldwide customers. In this context, hydrogen propulsion has great potential, especially in motorsports and high-performance sports cars,” said Dr Johannes-Jörg Rüger, president of Bosch Engineering.
Ligier Automotive’s president, Jacques Nicolet, said, “As a manufacturer of racing cars and special vehicles, we must provide the innovations to meet tomorrow’s challenges in order to offer motorsports and high-performance vehicles a new path for development. This project is part of Ligier Automotive’s strategy to become a preferred partner of automotive manufacturers for integrating new energies and new technologies.”