Toyota’s DKR GR FC Hilux Is a Fuel-Cell Pickup That Will Race in the Dakar Rally on Water Alone

Gazoo Racing is sending a Hilux into the 2027 Dakar Rally that will never touch gasoline. Called the DKR GR FC Hilux, the truck keeps the tubular chassis, short wheelbase, high fenders and long-travel suspension of the GR DKR Hilux EVO T1+ that has already won the event four times, then pulls the twin-turbo V6 and puts a Toyota fuel cell in its place. Hydrogen and oxygen meet in the stack, electricity feeds the motors, and the only thing leaving the tailpipe is water. That is the entire plan for 13 timed stages and 1,000 competitive kilometers across Saudi sand, rock and dry riverbeds from January 1 to 15, 2027.

Work has finally commenced at Toyota’s European research center in Brussels. Testing of the powertrain and software began in mid-2026, and while final assembly is taking place at the company’s European headquarters, it’s just a matter of time before the entire package is put through its paces at King Abdullah Economic City. We’ve heard from interested parties that the stack is based on a 2.5 generation unit, with bits from current production cells mixed in with bits from the next generation vehicle. They had one clear goal: make the thing smaller, keep it cool in 40-degree heat and sandstorm grime, and ensure it still works after a two-week bash that would put most normal passenger cars to shame.

We have not yet received information on horsepower, tank capacity, or other specifications. The only thing we know is that the gas-powered truck is limited to roughly 400 horsepower and 660 Nm by FIA rules, has a 3140 mm wheelbase and a dry weight of 2,010 kg, and has 350 mm of suspension travel at each corner. The fuel cell version has the same body and frame, but with a 540 lt gas cell for hydrogen, refueling, and energy management, there are a lot more variables to contend with, which Gazoo Racing wants to test out in the open.

Just one month after its launch in September 2026, four partners joined forces to ensure that this was not just another random research experiment on the side of the road. Jameel Motorsport, Toyota and Lexus’ local distributor in Saudi Arabia, handles logistics and provides a support base on their home ground. DENSO is working on the cooling, power electronics, and other components that have never seen rally raid duty at this level before, IAV is working on the software and control systems, and Toyo Tires is providing their Open Country M/T-R tyres, which are designed for wear and heat and are made with more sustainable materials than standard race compounds. They’re attempting to determine whether a fuel cell has the same ability to withstand Dakar as a tried-and-true V6.

This is Gazoo Racing’s first serious attempt at a fuel-cell race car. They’ve been experimenting with hydrogen for a while, as they’ve previously employed combustion engines to burn the gas. Instead of using hydrogen to power traditional combustion engines, they’ve been developing vehicles such as the HySE buggies, which made it to the Mission 1000 back in the day. Prior to that, we saw the GR Yaris H2 make cameos at rallies throughout Europe, doing some really spectacular stuff. The fact that they could transport the equipment off-road was a significant step forward, as long as you were willing to risk it catching fire.

This time, it’s different, as the DKR GR FC Hilux demonstrates that you can use a quieter method of power generation in a situation where the stage is 400 kilometers long, the air is so thin you could be at sea level, it’s 40 degrees hot, and there’s no service stop every 20 minutes. Toyota has announced that a road-going Hilux Fuel Cell will be available in 2028, capable of traveling approximately 400 kilometers on a single tank and towing up to 2.5 tons.