Mission 1000 returned for a second year, but with the same winner as KH-7 Ecovergy Team’s MAN 6×6 truck led the way.

KH-7 retained its 2024 lineup led by Jordi Juvanteny, while the truck once again used a combination of hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil. However, the ratio of the fuel blend had been tweaked such that 80 percent utilized hydrogen.

The truck had previously competed in the Dakar Rally proper, but was not classified in 2023 because of the hydrogen fuel cell and instead lumped into its own class. Mission 1000, intended for vehicles on alternative power sources, gave KH-7 a new home despite not following the same route as the main rally and being the only truck entered.

Mission 1000 does not use the Dakar Rally or Dakar Classic‘s routes, instead following its own 100-kilometer course each da; completing the full distance nets ten points. Ten bonus points are awarded for Sport Mode, in which one’s time is ten percent faster than the reference time, while Normal Mode (five points) is for being within the same range and Eco Mode (no points) is for going slower by ten percent.

Juvanteny nearly completed every kilometer, coming up short on the final day by a km and consequently earning just nine points. By that point, however, the overall win had already been locked up since he finished every stage prior and beat the benchmark time all but twice.

“This is the Dakar. Reaching the finish line is always a great source of joy,” said Juvanteny. “The truth is, we couldn’t have finished any better, with a victory and technology that worked perfectly in the truck.”

Yoshio Ikemachi and his hydrogen-based HySE-X2 completed the full race, though the former Dakar bike rider was often left chasing the KH-7 in the results. He finally hit his stride during the second half with five Sport Mode finish in seven stages, and he also earned 20 more bonus points by winning Launch Control and the fan vote.

Launch Control is essentially a 200-meter drag race, with the fastest car/truck and bike each getting ten points. Benjamín Pascual won this among the two-wheelers.

Pascual was part of an electric bike triumvirate for Segway alongside Jianhao Xu and Jie Yang. The only rider of the three with rally experience (Jie and Jianhao are motocross riders by trade), Pascual scored the most points on two occasions.

Overall results

Finish	Number	Competitor	Team	Class	Distance Completed	Distance Points	Drive Mode	Launch Control	Fan Vote	Total Points
1	1040	Jordi Juvanteny, José Luis Criado, Xavi Ribas	KH-7 Ecovergy Team	T5	1,119.14 km	139	105	0	5	249
2	1030	Yoshio Ikemachi, Paulo Marques	HySE	T4	1,120.17 km	140	75	10	10	235
3	1000	Benjamín Pascual	Segway Racing	Moto	1,025.69 km	128	55	10	2	195
4	1001	Jianhao Xu	Segway Racing	Moto	1,070.24 km	133	10	0	2	145
5	1002	Jie Yang	Segway Racing	Moto	1,064.77 km	122	5	0	2	129

Stage winners

Stage	Winner	Points	Time	Reference Time
Prologue	Benjamín Pascual	20	N/A	N/A
Stage #1	Jordi Juvanteny	15	1:26:48	1:24:00
Stage #2A	Jordi Juvanteny	15	1:42:17	1:34:00
Stage #2B	Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:41:10	1:58:00
Stage #3	Jordi Juvanteny	15	2:00:54	2:01:00
Stage #4	Yoshio Ikemachi, Jordi Juvanteny	15	1:41:37, 1:37:42	1:44:00
Stage #5	Benjamín Pascual, Yoshio Ikemachi	25	1:52:53, 1:45:55	1:54:00
Stage #6	Yoshio Ikemachi	30	1:28:07	1:54:00
Stage #7	Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:39:14	1:51:00
Stage #8	Benjamín Pascual, Yoshio Ikemachi, Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:02:59, 1:01:06, 58:23	1:21:00
Stage #9	Yoshio Ikemachi, Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:23:16, 1:20:41	1:33:00
Stage #10	Yoshio Ikemachi, Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:26:59, 1:11:58	1:44:00
Stage #11	Yoshio Ikemachi, Jordi Juvanteny	20	1:16:15, 1:00:22	1:27:00
Stage #12	Benjamín Pascual	20	10:19	18:00

Featured image credit: KH-7 Sport