Toyota and Yamaha are collaborating on the development of a naturally aspirated V8 engine that runs exclusively on hydrogen.
The announcement comes as Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and Kawasaki prepare to collaborate on the attempt to keep the combustion engine alive while meeting clean air targets.
While this engine isn't completely new, the way it's fuelled is.
It's a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 which is based off the engine used in the Lexus RC F coupe. According to Yamaha, it produces 331kW at 6,800 rpm and 540 Nm of torque at 3,600 rpm.
With the modifications to the injectors, heads, intake manifolds and other components which make the engine cleaner, it is less powerful than the original which produces 472kW and 536 Nm of torque fitted on the RC F track edition vehicle.
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Yamaha engineer Takeshi Yamada says the engine has a different character to a conventional petrol motor: “Hydrogen engines have an innately friendly feel that makes them easy to use even without resorting to electronic driving aids.”
“Everyone who came to test-drive the prototype car would start off somewhat sceptical, but emerged from the car with a big smile on their face at the end. As I watched this, I started to believe that there is actually enormous potential in the characteristics unique to hydrogen engines instead of simply treating it as a substitute for gasoline.”
At this stage, we don't know when or if the engine will make it to the street. But given that Toyota has run a hydrogen-powered Corolla in Japan’s Super Taikyu race series and also showcased a hydrogen-powered GR Yaris prototype with the same technology, the company is clearly committed to the concept.
Toyota has been slow to adopt EV technology, with its first EV to be released in New Zealand this year. CEO, Akio Toyoda, previously made this statement at a Japan Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (JAMA) press conference: “Carbon is our enemy, not the internal combustion engine.”
Yamaha, on the other hand, already promised to become carbon neutral by 2050 and started developing a hydrogen engine for cars five years ago. “Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time,” says Yamaha Motor president, Yoshihiro Hidaka.
“Teaming up with companies with different corporate cultures and areas of expertise as well as growing the number of partners we have is how we want to lead the way into the future.”
