The toughest rally on earth just validated the future of hydrogen-electric drivetrains — and our R300 inverter was at the heart of it.
A historic third title in Mission 1000
On January 17, 2026, Jordi Juvanteny, José Luis Criado, and Xavi Ribas crossed the finish line in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, to claim their third consecutive Dakar Rally Mission 1000 title, remaining undefeated since the category was created. It is a feat that goes beyond sport: it is proof that alternative-energy vehicles can endure, compete, and win in the harshest conditions on the planet.
The KH-7 ECOVERGY Team finished the 2026 edition with four stage victories and 237 points, six more than their nearest rival, despite a regulation handicap imposed on them as defending champions that forced them to meet stricter time references than other competitors. Against these odds, they delivered.
The groundbreaking machine: a world first in motorsport
The vehicle at the center of this achievement is not just another Dakar truck. Developed by EVARM, Xavi Ribas’ engineering company, the 2026 iteration of the MAN 6×6 became the world’s first hydrogen-electric hybrid truck to compete in the Dakar Rally. The drivetrain combines hydrogen and HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil renewable diesel) with full electric hybridization, recovering energy during braking and descents and reusing it on demand.
Over the course of the rally, the truck covered more than 6.000 kilometers. 1.168 of them timed across 13 stages through desert dunes, rocky camel grass, mountain passes and salt flats. It completed every one of them.
“This victory is not just another trophy; it’s a stepping stone toward the future of sustainable mobility.” Xavi Ribas, Director of EVARM & Co-driver, KH-7 ECOVERGY Team
As Ribas noted after the win, the experience went far beyond the podium: fuel systems, injection, tanks, pipelines, and electronics were all pushed to their limits — and they delivered. Every lesson learned feeds directly into the continuous development of EVARM’s next-generation hydrogen trucks and buses, both combustion and fuel cell.
The technology inside: NX Technologies R300 inverter
We are proud that NX Technologies played a part in this milestone. The electric hybrid system powering the KH-7 ECOVERGY truck is built around the YASA P400 axial-flux motor and our own R300 inverter — the flagship of our R-Series, designed for high-performance, heavy-duty applications.
NX R300: built for extremes
The R300 is a compact, ultra-efficient 800V motor controller capable of delivering up to 300 kW of continuous power. At just 6.7 kg, it packs unmatched power density into a form factor designed for the tightest integration requirements of commercial vehicles, e-buses, marine systems and — as now proven — extreme motorsport.
Key specifications that made the R300 the right choice for the Dakar challenge:
- Continuous Power: up to 300 kW @ 800V DC
- Maximum Current: 560 Arms
- Operating Voltage Range: 48 – 800 VDC
- Weight: 6.7 kg
- Temperature Range: -40°C to +105°C (automotive grade)
- Safety: ASIL-D rated hardware, ISO 26262 and ISO 21434 cybersecurity ready
- Advanced control: VarioSwitch™ for highest efficiency; sensorless and resolver/encoder control
- Software: MISRA-C compliant, Active Short Circuit, torque/speed control
These characteristics made it ideally suited for the Dakar’s demands: extreme temperature swings from freezing mountain nights to scorching desert days, vibration and shock loads that would break lesser electronics, and the need for absolutely reliable energy conversion stage after stage.
What this win means for the industry
The Dakar Rally is not a laboratory. There are no controlled conditions, no safety nets, no second chances. 6.000 kilometers across Saudi Arabia’s most unforgiving terrain is the ultimate real-world stress test — and the KH-7 ECOVERGY truck passed it three years in a row.
For the broader vehicle electrification industry, this is a signal that cannot be ignored. Hydrogen-electric drivetrains are no longer a future promise — they are a present reality capable of extreme-duty performance. Sectors such as heavy transport, construction, mining and off-road logistics can now point to a Dakar champion as evidence that these technologies are ready.
At NX Technologies, this victory reinforces our conviction that high-performance power electronics are the backbone of the electrification transition. The R300 was not designed for the Dakar — it was designed for the hardest jobs in the world. The Dakar simply proved the point.
Ready to power your next breakthrough?
Whether you are developing a commercial vehicle, an e-bus, a marine system, or something entirely new — NX Technologies has the inverter technology to make it happen. The R300 is available now, with full datasheet and technical support from our engineering team.
Explore the R300 inverter and discover how NX Technologies can power your next project. Get in touch to share your upcoming project and discover how NX can accelerate your path to electrification.
