For almost a century, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has urged manufacturers to innovate for the benefit of future motorists. The quest for performance has always embraced reliability and safety. The ground-breaking innovations of the past have shaped today’s commitment to sustainable mobility. MissionH24, which aims to bring hydrogen to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, exemplifies a strategy for the future that has its roots in a fertile history. We invite you to delve into this history.

The story

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has been a prime mover in the local community since 1906, as well as a testing ground for innovative solutions for the mobility of the future. The ACO’s actions are detailed below. To preserve our future, we need to act on sustainable mobility now.

Sustainable development | 24h-lemans.com

Sustainable development

MissionH24, a collaborative program between the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and H24Project, has been present since Thursday at Spa-Francorchamps, for the 3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Its various actions during this Belgian weekend have one objective: to promote hydrogen in competition.

Exhibited in the hydrogen village, in the middle of the fan zone, the H24, an electric hydrogen racing prototype, still brings together so many visitors, curious to discover this new technology. If in the stand, the team can answer many questions, on the track, St&eacute;phane Richelmi, one of the reference drivers, at the wheel of the H24, demonstrates the potential and reliability of hydrogen in competition.

After refueling at the H2 mobile station developed and operated by TotalEnergies, the H24 completed several loops of the legendary Belgian track at the end of the morning, a few hours before the start of the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, in front of a large audience.

Among them, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, secretary general of Hydrogen Europe, was particularly attentive to these demonstrations, as were the participants in the H2 forum, co-organized by Automotive Skills Alliance, GreenSkillsforH2 and Skills Alliance for Industrial Symbiosis and the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest . Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO and co-president of MissionH24, as well as MissionH24 partners, Richard Mille and Pierre-Gautier Caloni (TotalEnergies), Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequin, CEO of FIA WEC, Bernard Niclot, innovation manager for the ACO, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, consultant and Amaury Bertholome, general director of the Spa circuit- Francorchamps, witnessed the zero-emission running of the H24 from the side of the track.

Next round : at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the H24 will take to the track on Saturday June 15, alongside several hydrogen prototypes, notably the Alpenglow Hy4, revealed on May 10 at Spa.

Mission accomplished for the H24 at Spa-Francorchamps

Following a first track experience that will take place tomorrow Saturday, May 11 at the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, 3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, The MissionH24 H24 and the Alpine Alpenglow Hy4 will meet on Saturday 15 June on the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit, in the presence of other hydrogen sports vehicles, a few hours before the start of the Endurance classic.

A world premiere will take place on Saturday, June 15, 2024, between 12 and 13 hours, on the occasion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2024: the H24, prototype of hydrogen electric race of MissionH24, will evolve on track a few hours before the start of the 92 th edition, as it has already achieved in recent years, but in 2024, a significant change is to be noted: it will not be alone since several other hydrogen prototypes will accompany it for this pioneering demonstration. Evidence that MissionH24, the collaborative program between CAO and H24Project, is actually pursuing its goals. 
 
Alpine will line up on the legendary Mancelle track the Alpenglow Hy4 which will have completed its first laps in public during the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps this May 11, part of the 3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. In the Belgian Ardennes, the deployment of hydrogen in competition has been encouraged for several years, through collaborations between the circuit and the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest. 
 
Presented last year during the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the static model of the Alpine vehicle was exhibited in the Hydrogen village, organized within the circuit and dedicated to this new energy vector. 
 
This year again, the Hydrogen ACO H2 village will host many activities dedicated to this technology. A novelty is to be noted for 2024: a paddock H2 will present to the public the zero emission competition with different precursor prototypes as well as the mobile station H2 designed by TotalEnergies. A visit to this future competition world is a must.

MissionH24 H24 and Alpine Alpenglow Hy4 on track Saturday 15 June

The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, part of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, will be hosting the Forum H2, gathering together European voices currently promoting hydrogen

A Hydrogen VET&nbsp;Forum will be organized within the framework of the European Skills Agenda&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Automotive Skills Alliance, GreenSkillsforH2 and Skills Alliance for Industrial Symbiosis,&nbsp;European initiatives and projects dedicated to the development of skills needed to deliver on the EU&#39;s ambition to transition to a climate neutral economy by 2050, in collaboration with the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Hydrogen VET&nbsp;Forum will be held as part of the FIA 2024 World Endurance Championship, during the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, on an emblematic track for MissionH24 which did its first official laps there in 2018.&nbsp;

Aimed at teachers, the event will provide an overview on the latest developments in hydrogen technology and strengthen hydrogen education in Europe. The event will also&nbsp;include workshops with hydrogen experts from the world of motor racing, including those from MissionH24, a program run in collaboration with the ACO and H24Project. It represents, once again, the formidable role of Endurance racing as a technological laboratory. Thanks to its hydrogen strategy, the ACO is recognized in Europe and by the European Commission as a key player in the energy transition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Photo credit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Hydrogen forum at the TotalEnergies 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps

ROLEX

TOTALENERGIES

MICHELIN

GOODYEAR

MOTUL

Our commitment is underpinned by three founding principles and meets 12 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The first of the three areas covers the steps we are taking to combat the climate crisis. We adopted a sustainable development approach several decades ago, but we now have a clear mission: to contribute to a collective effort to reduce carbon emissions.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

From sustainable management to our contribution to local economies, we consider the impact of everything we do.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

The third aspect is the promotion of a fairer, more inclusive, responsible, and caring society.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Since the club was founded in 1906, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has always placed the values of solidarity and mutual aid at the heart of its development. In 2021, we formalised our commitments to sustainable development with a three-pronged approach. In line with the CSR strategy announced in June 2021, Stéphane Darracq, general manager of the ACO, presented the 24 Hours of Le Mans’ carbon footprint.

ENGAGEMANS - COMMITMENTS FOR THE FUTURE

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

Immerse yourself in the excitement of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans by discovering the best ways to access the legendary circuit. Whether you are a fan of the Le Mans or simply eager to live an unforgettable experience, follow our guide to join this legendary event with ease.

24 Heures du Mans 2024 - Access to the circuit

The extended highlights of the 2024 TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa, round 3 of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Extended Highlights I 2024 TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa I FIA WEC

The 2024 edition of the 4 Hours of Le Castellet certainly provided plenty of entertainment for the thousands of spectators that travelled to the Circuit Paul Ricard. They witnessed a dramatic race that saw the no43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca-Gibson take the chequered flag for the Polish team's first ever LMP2 victory in the ELMS.

Extended highlights | 4 Hours of Le Castellet 2024 | ELMS

The extended highlights of the 2024 6 Hours of Imola, round two of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Extended Highlights I 2024 6 Hours of Imola I FIA WEC

Hans Herrmann announces his retirement after the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours, as promised to his wife.

24H LE MANS

Sustainable development

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News
Sustainable development

Mission accomplished for the H24 at Spa-Francorchamps

MissionH24 H24 and Alpine Alpenglow Hy4 on track Saturday 15 June

Hydrogen forum at the TotalEnergies 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps

In video
Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News Sustainable development

Mission accomplished for the H24 at Spa-Francorchamps

MissionH24 H24 and Alpine Alpenglow Hy4 on track Saturday 15 June

Hydrogen forum at the TotalEnergies 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps

In video Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

News
Sustainable development

In video
Sustainable development