I Rode in the Hydrogen Lexus UTV, and It’s a Riot
If more off-roaders got the chance to experience a hydrogen-burning side-by-side like this, demand just might soar. But it (probably) won’t happen.
Car companies love building cool projects that we'll never be able to buy. They're usually just concept vehicles that can't even move under their own power, but every once in a while, a running prototype will come along to make you extra envious. Such is the case with the hydrogen-combustion Lexus ROV that I rode shotgun in last weekend at Fuji Speedway.
And let me tell ya, it rips.
I knew a little about the Lexus ROV when they introduced us to the engineers because it was revealed in Dec. 2021. It was a collaborative effort with tons of smart people from Lexus, Yamaha, and suspension supplier KYB working to make it happen. The result is a machine that performs as impressively as any gasoline-powered UTV.
There was an ROV without its plastic bodywork parked under a tent that showed off the chassis, engine, and hydrogen fuel cell from a Toyota Mirai sitting behind the driver. It looks pretty standard aside from the special parts used to both store the H2 and deliver it to the 1,000cc Yamaha power plant, which makes about 80% of its gas power output in this application. The thing is, nearly every part was built using sustainable practices—even the shocks are filled with mineral oil and palm oil.
I climbed into the passenger seat and gave the thumbs-up to signal I was ready. I really wasn't, though, because my eyes got big when we started at full throttle and immediately jumped over a small dirt hill. The exhaust was screaming just like it would in any other Yamaha YXZ1000, which is what the ROV is based on. From there it was an immediate left-hander up a hill.
I'd been hearing this thing buzz around in the background all day as Lexus was giving rides to everybody who wanted one. There were deep ruts formed around the track by the time I strapped in and the ground was fairly soaked from rain the day prior. The wheelman still hucked the ROV around like it was his job, and even though I have a decent amount of experience in off-roaders like this, there's no way I could have driven like he did.
The type of speed he carried through corners with big trees at the apex required confidence. Just as impressive as the hydrogen-burning engine were the KYB shocks, at least from a tangible performance perspective. We went first through a route that was marked "easy" and then later through a trail labeled as "difficult." The second lap was even faster and we blew through a section that looked to be a low-speed articulation test zone. Not for us, though—we took it flat-out.
My hands were sweaty from hanging onto the grab bar when we finally parked. (It didn't help that Japan is maybe the most humid place I've ever been, and I'm from the Ozarks where the air is thicker than a half-pound hamburger). As for the driver, he was on to the next joyride, unphased.
I would never expect Lexus to actually enter the powersports segment. That said, it's encouraging to experience something as fun as this knowing it uses relatively future-proof materials. There's the obvious hangup of hydrogen supply, especially in the backcountry, and there's a chance that will stop this from ever becoming consumer technology. Still, if Toyota succeeds in lengthening the internal combustion engine's lifespan with hydrogen tech, I can't help but think enthusiasts will stand behind it at the very least.
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