Just before the start of this year's Le Mans 24 Hours, there was a demonstration run of new energy cars such as the PORSCHE 911 Hybrid, the AUDI e-Tron, the PEUGEOT Hybrid, the electric FERRARI, the electric TESLA, the natural gas-powered VOLKSWAGEN, the hydrogen BMW. The Hydrogen Rotary MAZDA RX-8 was also entered in the event, driven by Mr. Yojiro Terada.

The MAZDA Hydrogen RE is able to run on both gasoline and high pressure hydrogen. It produces 109 hp which is less than half the engine power of the gasoline RENESIS rotary engine, however its exhaust produces only water steam when it runs on hydrogen. It emits exactly zero emissions. On this occasion, it was just a three-lap demonstration on the 13.6-km full course at Le Mans. MAZDA was the only Japanese manufacturer participating in the event. It was deeply emotional seeing MAZDA, with its experience of victory in the 1991 running of Le Mans, coming back to the Sarthe Circuit with the new technology hydrogen rotary engine.

Mr. Terada commented, "It is admirable that the ACO, the Le Mans organizers, put on such a demonstration run, speculating on the near future. Also, I'd like to show my respect to MAZDA, who has developed and nearly mass-produced the clean hydrogen rotary engine and for bringing the car to Le Mans. The Hydrogen Rotary RX-8 is almost the same as the mass production model except that it uses hydrogen energy. I felt the car was the most realistic among those advanced cars taking part in the demonstration run. I am proud to run at Le Mans with this hydrogen-powered rotary engine equipped car of the near future. In the practice session held on the day before the event, I had the vice mayor of the city of Le Mans ride in the passenger seat of the hydrogen RX-8. He was most impressed with the experience and that made me very glad," he added.

Regarding the sound of the hydrogen-powered rotary engine, he said, "There is no difference between this and the mass-produced model. It has an exhaust system, so that is also the same as the road car."