2024 Dakar Rally: Jordi Juvanteny, KH-7 cruise to Mission 1000 win

As the push for alternative methods of propulsion like electric and hybrid power continues, the Amaury Sport Organisation wanted to put these vehicles to the test in one of the toughest races in the world without throwing them to the wolves right away. Thus, the 2024 Dakar Rally marked the début of Mission 1000, a separate class for bikes and cars operating on non-gas sources.

Ironically, the top performing Mission 1000 vehicle ended up being one that already challenged the Dakar Rally. KH-7 Ecovergy Team‘s MAN TGA 26.480 6×6, which raced the 2023 Dakar but was not classified in the main Truck category due to its hydrogen fuel cell, was easily the fan favourite of the nine Mission 1000 entries as it completed every stage and won both Fan Boost votes by convincing margins.

Piloted by Jordi Juvanteny, the truck—now boasting a hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil mix—was the only vehicle to run the full distance on all eleven days of competition. It earned Sport Mode, which meant beating the reference time by ten percent, on five occasions. The Fan Boost votes, each awarding five points to the winner, were also lopsided as they had over 2,600 votes in the first compared to just 1,200 for runner-up Tacita, before notching over 1,400 in the second with nobody else breaking quadruple digits.

Jean-Michel Paulhe‘s hydrogen-based Can-Am Maverick finished second overall, while the Arctic Leopard electric bike of Su Wenmin was third. Another pair of electric bikes fielded by Tacita, who previously dabbled in the 2020 Dakar Rally, overcame Oscar Polli not starting the opening stage to have both reach the end.

“As the sun sets on our Dakar Future Mission 1000 adventure, our hearts are overflowing with emotions,” reads a statement from Tacita. “We poured not just work, energy, tears, and sweat into this project, but above all, a massive amount of passion for this challenge and the Dakar spirit. Taking part in the Dakar has been an all-time dream, and seeing it come to life this year, with Tacita, is nothing short of extraordinary. Every team member, rider, and electric motorbike enthusiast who joined us on this journey added their unique spark.
But it’s not just the end of a race, it’s the beginning of a legacy. Tacita Discanto is like a child: it has to grow, has to improve, and win hearts all over the world. Here’s to the thrill of Dakar, the power of electric dreams, and the unbreakable bond that fueled us through every challenge.”

Fran Pallas had a frightening accident sixty kilometres into Stage #11 when his Green Power Race electric bike broke in half while he was riding. The crash forced him to miss the final day, making him the race’s lone retirement. Had he reached the finish, he would have ranked at least sixth.

Mission 1000 overall results

Mission 1000 stage winners