Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced that it will be participating in the IDEMITSU SUPER ENDURANCE SOURTHEAST ASIA TROPHY 2023 (Thailand 10- hour Endurance Race) to be held on December 22 and 23 at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit.
It will compete with a three-vehicle setup for ROOKIE Racing featuring the ORC ROOKIE GR86 CNF concept, a GR86 running on carbon-neutral fuel; the ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 concept, a hydrogen-powered Corolla; and the CP ROOKIE PRIUS CNF-HEV GR concept, a newly added Prius HEV running on carbon- neutral fuel.
The new Prius competing in this year’s race has been developed based on a production vehicle, marking the first time that Toyota has competed with a production Prius HEV.
In addition, three of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team Thailand’s vehicles—the Corolla, 86, and Yaris—will also run on carbon-neutral fuel. Toyota will continue to take on the challenge of expanding motorsports-bred options for carbon neutrality together with its partners in Asia.
Morizo, Yasuhiro Ogura, Kachorn Chiaravanont, Masahiro Sasaki, Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroaki Ishiura, Kazuya Oshima, Naoya Gamo, Kenta Yamashita, Hibiki Taira, Keizo Kato, Daisuke Toyoda
1. Competing with an HEV for the First Time
Toyota is accelerating its multi-pathway approach to achieving a carbon-neutral society by entering the hydrogen-powered Corolla and the GR86 running on carbon-neutral fuel in the Super Taikyu series. These two vehicles also competed in the 2022 Thailand 25H Endurance Race, where Toyota took on the challenge of refining the vehicles in a different environment than Japan. This time, in order to expand the multi-pathway approach even further, Toyota is adding an HEV, which is one of the most effective options for achieving carbon neutrality in Asia and Thailand in particular, to its team setup. The vehicle will also run on carbon- neutral fuel.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has been refining its Racing Hybrid technology through its participation in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). This time, Toyota will introduce technology suitable for racing to the Prius to refine HEV technology that combines the fun of driving and fuel efficiency.
In addition, Toyota will take on the challenge of expanding possibilities for the future together with its partner, Mr. Kachorn Chiaravanont, who will compete as a Prius driver. Mr. Chiaravanont is a member of the Executive Committee of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), a partner working to achieve a carbon-neutral society in Thailand, and President of True Leasing Co., Ltd.
2. Adding Partners Who Produce, Transport, and Use Hydrogen in Thailand
Toyota is continuing to take on the challenge of expanding options for achieving a carbon-neutral society with the hydrogen-powered Corolla. The number of partners who have come together through motorsports has increased to 51, both in Japan and abroad.
In the Thailand 10-hour Endurance Race, biogas generated from CP’s poultry farm chicken manure and food waste from Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co. (TDEM), a Toyota site, will be used as part of the fuel for the hydrogen-powered Corolla.
In addition, an FC drone used for demonstration experiments in collaboration with CP will be unveiled for the first time at the event to introduce efforts in producing, transporting, and using hydrogen that is currently being promoted by Toyota and its partners in Thailand. In doing so, Toyota will expand the scope of its efforts to build a hydrogen utilization model to the rest of Asia, starting with Thailand.
