A TEAM TO SAVE THE ENGINES – Toyota is not alone in the mission of to save the good old man internal combustion engine: Subaru, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Mazda joined the global group headed by Akio Toyoda. This collaboration to five was announced at the Okayama circuit in western Japan, which sees Toyota racing a car equipped with a conventional engine modified to run on hydrogen rather than conventional petrol, diesel or gas. The combination of hydrogen and competitions had already been emphasized by Aiko Toyoda who had actually personally driven a hydrogen Corolla in the Super Taikyu Series 2021 championship (who to find out more) and will continue in the championship. The team of five builders is made up of a keep combustion engines alive internal using both hydrogen and bio fuels.
TOWARDS NEUTRALITY COMPARED TO CARBON – The manifesto of this group is summarized in this sentence: “Toyota believes that technological breakthroughs, such asuse of hydrogen, can give internal combustion engines a new lease on life, saving jobs and the environment. It is a debate on the best way to carbon neutrality ”. A joint press release explains that “By promoting further collaboration in the production, transportation and use of fuels in combination with internal combustion engines, the five companies aim to provide customers with greater choice.” Battery-powered cars are not left to one side and Subaru points out that “along the road to carbon neutrality, Subaru and Toyota are promoting efforts that include vehicle electrification by introducing the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X battery electric vehicles (who to learn more) jointly developed, whose global launch is expected in mid-2022 “.
RUNNING HYDROGEN AND BIODIESEL – The program of this group of manufacturers is participate in tenders that use zero-emission fuels, explore the use of hydrogen engines in two-wheeled vehicles and other vehicles, and participate in championships using hydrogen engines. Mazda plans to compete in the ST-Q of the Super Taikyu Race in Okayama with its SPIRIT RACING Bio Demio concept equipped with a 1.5-liter SKYACTIV-D diesel engine running on diesel fuel, supplied by Euglena, derived from 100% biomass. Subaru and Toyota will also test vehicles in the ST-Q Class, respectively, the BRZ and GR86, powered by synthetic fuel derived from biomass. Toyota also continues in the development, in collaboration with Yamaha (for prototypes, race tests, certification and combustion study) and Denso (for injection and spark plugs) of a internal combustion engine running on hydrogen. This unit has already participated in three races (the Fuji Super TEC 24 Hours Race, the Super Taikyu Race in Autopolis and the SUZUKA S-TAI) and will race in the Super Taikyu Race in Okayama, with a team of drivers that also includes the president and ceo of Toyota Akio Toyoda.
MOTORCYCLES AND HYDROGEN POWER UNITS – Kawasaki Heavy Industries e Yamaha Motor will evaluate joint research to develop hydrogen engines for two-wheeled vehicles. Specifically, Kawasaki has developed technologies for the production, transport and use of hydrogen along the entire supply chain and is currently conducting tests to transport low-cost hydrogen in large quantities produced from Australian lignite to Japan. The company has also developed a turbine electricity generator powered 100% by hydrogen. Yamaha is developing hydrogen engine technology for possible use in its two-wheeled vehicles, quad ROVs and other products. Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Yamaha are also considering jointly developing a hydrogen engine for possible use in two-wheeled vehicles and Honda and Suzuki are expected to join in the future. We recall, incidentally, that the combustion of hydrogen in an engine is not completely zero local emissions: unlike what happens in fuel cells, the high-temperature combustion of the air-hydrogen mixture generates nitrogen oxides which must therefore be eliminated. as it happens in conventional engines.
THE THREE CHALLENGES FOR HYDROGEN – Toyota also thinks about the processes of production and transport of the lightest element in the Universe. For the production it is collaborating with Fukuoka City, which will supply Toyota with hydrogen derived from wastewater biogas with a process that has been proven since 2015. It is “green” hydrogen as it is produced using biogas and renewable energy. To transport the gas that will be used Super Taikyu Race in Okayama, Toyota Transportation trucks powered by the biofuel produced by Euglena. Toyota is also partnering with Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies to develop carbon fiber reinforced composite liners to lighten high pressure cylinders. The automobile itself is making considerable progress, with its engine now more powerful than a petrol engine of similar displacement. The collection and processing of data, then, has been enhanced and has even made it possible to reduce the refueling of “fuel” by bringing it under two minutes.
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