A Yamaha Motor Co., V8 hydrogen engine displayed in Japan, on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.
Toru Hanai | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures
Toyota has commissioned Yamaha Motor to broaden a hydrogen-fueled engine, with the president of the latter declaring that his corporate was once dedicated to the inner combustion engine.
In a statement towards the top of ultimate week, Yamaha mentioned the 5.0-liter V8 engine could be advanced for vehicles and in line with the only utilized by the Lexus RC F coupe, with alterations made to its cylinder heads and injectors, amongst different issues.
In keeping with Yamaha, the unit is in a position to ship up to 450 horsepower at 6,800 revolutions in keeping with minute. The corporate mentioned it have been operating on a hydrogen engine for vehicles for more or less 5 years.
Yamaha Motor President Yoshihiro Hidaka mentioned that whilst his corporate was once aiming to succeed in carbon neutrality by way of the yr 2050 it additionally had “a robust hobby for and degree of dedication to the inner combustion engine.”
“Hydrogen engines space the prospective to be carbon-neutral whilst maintaining our hobby for the inner combustion engine alive on the similar time,” Hidaka went on to mention.
Closing week’s observation builds on one from Nov. 2021 when Yamaha Motor, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Toyota, Subaru and Mazda launched main points of what they described as a “problem to amplify gas choices for the usage of inside combustion engines.” It was once at this announcement that the V8 engine advanced for Toyota was once proven to the general public.
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The perception of powering an inside combustion engine with hydrogen isn’t a brand new one. Toyota has already advanced a GR Yaris which has a 1.6-liter ICE and makes use of hydrogen as its gas.
In keeping with the corporate, the GR Yaris makes use of the similar powertrain as a hydrogen-powered Corolla Recreation. The company has categorised either one of those cars as “experimental.”
Corporations equivalent to BMW have additionally produced cars such because the BMW Hydrogen 7. In keeping with the German automaker, the Hydrogen 7 used an inside combustion engine and was once ready to run on gas or liquid hydrogen. Manufacturing of the car started in 2006 and a restricted run was once made.
The usage of hydrogen to energy an inside combustion engine is other to hydrogen gas cellular generation, the place gasoline from a tank mixes with oxygen, generating electrical energy. Because the U.S. Division of Power’s Choice Fuels Knowledge Middle notes, gas cellular cars emit “simplest water vapor and heat air.”
In contrast, hydrogen ICEs do produce emissions. “Hydrogen engines unlock close to 0, hint quantities of CO2 … however can produce nitrogen oxides, or NOx,” Cummins, the engine maker, says.
Hydrogen ICEs also are “much less environment friendly” in comparison to gas cellular electrical cars, in step with the Choice Fuels Knowledge Middle.
Whilst there may be pleasure about the potential for hydrogen gas cellular cars and corporations equivalent to Hyundai, BMW and Toyota have all advanced vehicles in line with the generation, others throughout the business have taken a unique view.
In June 2020, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted “gas cells = idiot sells,” including in July of that yr: “hydrogen idiot sells make no sense.”
In February 2021, the CEO of Germany’s Volkswagen Staff additionally weighed in at the topic. “It is time for politicians to just accept science,” Herbert Diess tweeted.
“Inexperienced hydrogen is wanted for metal, chemical, aero … and must no longer finally end up in vehicles. Some distance too dear, inefficient, sluggish and tough to rollout and delivery. In any case: no #hydrogen vehicles in sight.”