Toyota has revealed plans to bring hydrogen engine technology to passenger vehicles as part of an effort to move toward carbon-neutral mobility. The Japanese OEM has installed the engine in a racing vehicle based on a Corolla, which it will enter in the 2021 Super Taikyu Series under the Orc Rookie Racing banner.
Toyota intends to hone its prototype engine, which generates power through the combustion of hydrogen using modified gasoline fuel and injection systems, in motorsport in order to contribute to the realization of sustainable mobility.
Except for the combustion of engine oil during driving, the OEM’s hydrogen engine will emit zero CO2 when in use. The increased combustion rate also allows for more responsiveness. Toyota also believes that the noise and vibrations that hydrogen engines produce can improve driver engagement.
Plans are for the hydrogen-engine-powered race vehicle to be fueled during races using hydrogen produced at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture.
