Toyota testing hydrogen combustion engines in race cars

TOKYO – Toyota said Monday it is investigating hydrogen combustion engines successful contention cars arsenic it works toward utilizing the exertion successful commercialized products.

Such engines pain hydrogen arsenic substance alternatively of gasoline, overmuch similar rockets. The Japanese automaker said investigating the exertion successful contention cars volition let it to cod information and effort to hole problems on-site.

Toyota Motor Corp. announced earlier that it was processing a hydrogen combustion engine, which Ford Motor Co. and different automakers person besides developed. Vehicles powered by specified engines are antithetic from substance compartment vehicles that usage hydrogen to make electricity, and from electrical oregon hybrid vehicles.

“We privation to suggest aggregate options to conscionable determination needs,” Naoyuki Sakamoto, main technologist of the hydrogen-powered motor Corolla model, said successful an online quality conference.

Sakamoto declined to accidental erstwhile the hydrogen combustion motor whitethorn go a commercialized product, acknowledging further improvement are needed to code its truthful acold constricted driving range. Infrastructure for fueling specified vehicles is different obstacle.

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One vantage of hydrogen engines is that minimal adjustments are needed from regular interior combustion engines, but for the substance piping and injection systems.

The usage of hydrogen arsenic substance comes with immoderate hazard concerns, but hydrogen fueling stations are operating crossed Japan, with nary large accidents truthful far.

Sakamoto said hydrogen is arsenic harmless arsenic immoderate different substance connected roads today, noting lithium-ion batteries utilized successful EVs person caused fires, and hydrogen tanks are made of c fiber.

The latest hydrogen exertion is being tested connected a Yaris with a 1.6 liter motor for racing, according to Toyota.

Two hydrogen tanks acceptable successful the backmost spot country of the racing car, though that is apt to alteration for commercialized models.

Hydrogen whitethorn connection immoderate advantages. Batteries for EVs necessitate assorted minerals, portion hydrogen is comparatively plentiful successful the situation and tin beryllium readily stored and transported.

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Hydrogen tin beryllium created from h2o by electrolysis, often carried retired successful schoolhouse chemistry experiments. Hydrogen tin besides beryllium converted from star vigor for storage. But depending connected however wide specified substance whitethorn become, it could beryllium a batch cheaper to capable up your car than gasoline, whose prices fluctuate wildly. Toyota besides said it was producing hydrogen astatine a geothermal powerfulness presumption successful confederate Japan.

But the hydrogen motor is not 100% zero emission, emitting a tiny spot of c dioxide from the motor oil. Toyota said it has developed exertion to purify its nitrogen oxide, oregon NOx, emissions.

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Yuri Kageyama is connected Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

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