TOYOTA has unveiled an experimental hydrogen-powered model of its sporty GR Yaris – the idea mannequin has the identical powertrain as an experimental hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport that the model campaigned on this yr’s Tremendous Taikyu race sequence in Japan.
It’s not a hydrogen fuel-cell car in the identical sense because the Toyota Mirai, nonetheless. As an alternative, it’s a combustion-engined mannequin that runs on hydrogen gasoline as an alternative of petrol.
The hydrogen-powered GR Yaris makes use of the identical gasoline tanks and refuelling mechanism because the Mirai FCEV. Its modified motor runs on liquid hydrogen gasoline, which combusts sooner than petrol to supply higher responsiveness and “wonderful environmental efficiency”.
The G16E-GTS sequence engine – a three-cylinder turbocharged unit that displaces 1.6 litres – delivers “nearly zero emissions whereas retaining the acoustic and sensory sensations typical of combustion engines” when it runs on hydrogen gasoline, the Aichi-based model claims.
Toyota mentioned the mannequin was nonetheless within the early stage of conceptual improvement and {that a} manufacturing mannequin underpinned by the know-how was in all probability a decade away. Toyota started the method of changing the all-aluminium mill for hydrogen energy in 2017.
The corporate didn’t present energy and torque specs for the hydrogen-powered GR Yaris however mentioned the Corolla Sport race automobile’s outputs have been equal to these “of a petrol-powered engine”.
The G16E-GTS develops 200kW at 6500rpm and 370Nm from 3000- to 4600rpm. Suffice to say, it is among the strongest three-cylinder manufacturing engines ever constructed.
“We’ve taken step one to compete with and develop our hydrogen-powered engine with the mindset of taking up the problem,” Toyota Motor Company current Akio Toyoda defined.
“I think about issues will look completely different ten years from now, and I hope folks will look again and see how we took on the problem with positivity and loved each second of it.”
Within the 2022 monetary yr, Toyota will conduct a trial of hydrogen transportation from Australia to Japan utilizing the world’s first liquified hydrogen service, the Suiso Frontier.
The Japanese model mentioned the transportation and storage of the gasoline had proved notably difficult, however that it aimed to have a large-scale service able to transporting 10,000 tons (9071 tonnes) of hydrogen at a time prepared by the center of the last decade.
By 2030, Toyota plans to move 225,000 tons (204,116 tonnes) of hydrogen yearly from Australia as a full-scale business provide chain.
It’s estimated that Japan would require a complete of 20 million tons (18.2 million tonnes) of hydrogen by 2050. That may not solely necessitate the large-scale manufacturing of the gasoline in that nation – huge volumes must be imported from international locations similar to Australia.
The Tremendous Taikyu race sequence, through which the hydrogen-powered Toyota Corolla Sport competed, goals to “transcend (present) electrification initiatives to offer better selection for utilizing inside combustion engines”, Toyota mentioned.
Entrants together with Kawasaki, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota and Yamaha have modified ICE items working on carbon impartial fuels together with biodiesel, hydrogen, and, from subsequent yr, a biomass-derived artificial gasoline, which shall be utilized by each Toyota and Subaru.
