Toyota created a new type of engine that's revolutionizing the car world
- Toyota’s hydrogen engine could be an absolute gamechanger
- It’s a seriously high-performance engine
- Road testing has begun, but there’s still a way to go yet
Published on Oct 24, 2023 at 2:25 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Apr 24, 2024 at 2:26 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Forget diesel, gasoline, electric or even hybrid vehicles – according to Toyota, the future of powertrains lies in a whole new type of engine.
And aside from the benefits for the planet and reducing fuel emissions – the best part is the sheer power behind it.
Behold – the hydrogen engine from Toyota.
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The prototype was produced by leading mobility technology company AVL Racetech in collaboration with Hungarian HUMDA Lab.
A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine boasting 405 HP and 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) of torque.
This is delivered at 6,500 revolutions and 3,000 and 4,000 rpm.
That corresponds with a mean pressure (BMEP) of 32 bar.
Hydrogen combustion engines (H₂-ICE) have long been known for low-performance figures and lean-burn.
AVL Racetech set out to banish that ‘preconception’.
The engine can reach competitive highs of 205 HP per liter (150 kW per liter) – that’s even more than the Bugatti Chiron at 185 HP per liter.
Pretty impressive stuff.
It was put through its paces on the testbed and confirmed the top values calculated previously in simulations.
This is made possible by an intelligent PFI water injection to moderate combustion and prevent engine damage.
It works by the system introducing water into the intake air, which improves pressure levels.
It also reduces the temperature of the combustion chamber as it evaporates.
The air-fuel ratio (lambda) is 1 (stoichiometric combustion), meaning it is no longer in the lean range.
The air demand, which is lower than during lean combustion, is covered by using a wastegate turbocharger designed for that sole purpose.
It differs from hydrogen combustion in a fuel-cell vehicle, which works like a traditional engine using hydrogen instead of gasoline.
Meanwhile, this next-gen engine converts hydrogen into electrical energy to power an electric motor.
“At the end of 2022, we announced for the first time that we would be working on a two-liter, hydrogen-powered racing engine with stoichiometric combustion and PFI water injection,” project leader Paul Kapus, Manager Development Spark Ignited Engines, said.
“Our goals were 500 Nm of torque and an output of up to 300 kW (specific output 150 kW/l). We are proud to have been able to validate those figures on the testbed.”
It looks set to revolutionize the world of motorsport as the next milestone on the road to a zero-emission future.
“The results achieved by our H₂ racing engine confirm that we are able to deliver an extremely competitive package with this technology,” Ellen Lohr, director of Motorsport AVL, said.
“The goal of AVL Racetech is to lead motorsport into a sustainable future.
“With the development of the first racing engine developed under our own name – a high-performance H₂-ICE – we have taken another step closer to achieving this vision.”
Whilst some road testing has been performed on the new engine, there’s a lot of work still to be done.
However, if they can get it all right, this groundbreaking piece of technology could aid the transition to a zero-emissions future.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
