Toyota has built a GR Yaris rally car powered by hydrogen

Debuting later this month on Rally Finland, WRC legend Juha Kankkunen will drive the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept.

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept

A hydrogen-powered version of the Toyota GR Yaris rally car makes its competition debut later this month. 

The Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept will enter Rally Finland, which takes place from 31 July to 3 August 2025.

Four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen, who is also the deputy principal of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing rally team, will be at the wheel of the H2 Concept.

It marks the continuation of Toyota’s experimentation with hydrogen power for racing, as the company explores options for carbon-neutral motorsport.

Zero emissions without a plug

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept

Toyota has entered a hydrogen-powered GR Yaris hot hatch into a rally before. A previous model took part in a demonstration run as part of Rally Belgium in 2022. 

This represented the first time Toyota had tested a hydrogen vehicle on public roads outside Japan. However, Toyota has now upped its game, installing the liquid hydrogen powertrain into a Rally2-specification Yaris. 

On the World Rally Championship ladder, Rally2 is a step below full-blown Rally1 vehicles. It shows how seriously the Japanese marque is exploring hydrogen for motorsport.

Full WRC speed and sound

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept

Toyota notes that using a regular internal combustion engine, but fuelled by liquid hydrogen, means the Rally2 H2 Concept delivers ‘near zero emissions’ – but with all the noise and performance of a regular rally car.

For its Finnish demonstration runs, the Rally2 H2 Concept will tackle the mixed-surface Harju stage, which acts as the opening test on day one of Rally Finland. A second appearance on day two of the event is also planned. 

Between stages, Toyota will display the GR Yaris Rally2 H2 Concept alongside its hydrogen-fuelled Mirai and Tundra models.

As part of this month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Toyota also displayed the GR LH2 Racing Concept, a hydrogen racer based on its current GR010 Hybrid Hypercar.

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John Redfern
John Redfern
U.S. Editor with a love of all things Americana. Woodgrain-clad station wagons and ridiculous muscle cars a speciality.

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