Post by Lee on Jan 11, 2022 15:39:03 GMT
At the end of April 2021, Toyota announced it would be testing the performance of a new hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine (ICE) by installing it in a racecar that would compete in one of Japan’s toughest motorsports events: The NAPAC Fuji Super TEC 24 Hours. Toyota wants to use motorsport to promote hydrogen as a viable alternative to electric cars. Toyota has only just launched its second-generation hydrogen fuel-cell powered Mirai sedan, but this is the first time the company has raced a car powered by hydrogen. At this stage, it is probably a good idea to quickly explain that the Mirai’s powertrain and that of the Corolla race car are very different. The Mirai generates electricity to power its motors from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen where as hydrogen engined vehicles, are like conventional engined cars except that they burn hydrogen in place of gasoline.
Toyota believes that electric cars will proliferate and gain public acceptance over time as prices come down and infrastructure improves, but it sees issues with battery production capacity and the difficulty in sourcing sufficient materials needed to produce enough batteries for the growing number of EVs. Having introduced the world’s first-ever hybrid car back in 1997, Toyota believes that hybrids offer a better bridge than EVs between internal combustions vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
In explaining its reasoning behind the firm’s slow take-up on electric cars, a company spokesman had explained that Toyota had felt that although it was able to produce enough batteries for 28,000 electric cars each year, or 1.5 million hybrid cars. One other important factor is emissions. Toyota says that selling 1.5 million hybrid cars reduces carbon emissions by a third more than selling 28,000 electric cars. So, put simply, its carbon footprint is smaller if it sells many more gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.
The engine was developed as part of Toyota’s progress towards realising a carbon-neutral mobility society and powers a Corolla Sport built to technical regulations for the Super Taikuyu endurance racing series. Entered by ORC ROOKIE Racing, the car made its race debut on the 21-23 May 2021 race weekend.
Unlike Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), which produce electricity to power the engine through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air, Toyota’s hydrogen engine generates power through combustion, using fuel supply and injection systems modified from those used in a petrol engine.
Toyota believes that attaining carbon neutrality will require utilising and improving current technologies – hence this strategy. To that end, it sought to make the conversion from a petrol-fuelled internal combustion engine with minimal component changes and control technologies. Initially, the company tried a bi-fuel approach, using 50% gasoline and 50% hydrogen. From there, it attempted 100% hydrogen. The first engine broke down within five minutes, but with calibration sorted, the team was confident they could take it to an endurance racing environment for the ultimate test.
Hydrogen combustion actually has advantages in that it could help save jobs in the transition between today’s economy and tomorrow’s future technologies down the road. By using a hydrogen-powered engine you don’t have the extra expense of developing the electric motor or hi-tech batteries. Thus it’s a simple clean solution to a complicated problem. And hydrogen-engined cars are expected to be cheaper than current hybrids.
One of the biggest issues with hydrogen powered cars is the refueling infrastructure. Hydrogen is expensive and the refueling stations require significant investment. Meanwhile, you still have the expensive onboard hydrogen storage tanks which require hi-tech carbon-fiber wound technology to maximize the safety aspects. And after all, when it comes to hydrogen being marketed on a huge scale to power tomorrow’s society, the public will need to be convinced of the safety aspects of dealing with and managing hydrogen storage, transport and propulsion.
The race engine is the same G16E-GTS, 1,618cc turbocharged three-cylinder unit found in the Yaris GR, which features technologies that Toyota has refined in its motorsport participation and production vehicles; Only this time it’s using compressed hydrogen fuel. As hydrogen combustion happens faster than petrol combustion, it provides the potential for a highly responsive race engine.
The hydrogen-powered Rookie Racing-entered Corolla was entered in the ST-Q class and completed 358 laps in the Super Taikyu blue riband 24-hour race at an average speed of 67.963km/h – representing approximately 50% pace of the race-winning car.
The team carried out 35 pitstops over the course of the race, which took around seven minutes each giving an average stint length of 10.2 laps. As such, the car spent approximately four hours refuelling. Its fastest lap of 2m04.059s was slightly quicker than the best lap set in the slowest ST-5 class (for modified production cars with a displacement of 1,500cc or less) and around 24 seconds slower than the outright fastest lap.
From Toyota’s perspective, the hydrogen-fuelled Corolla’s debut was a success, and the project will accelerate the development of hydrogen cars and play a role in helping societies reduce their carbon emissions alongside electric vehicles. Toyota sees it as strengthening its efforts towards achieving carbon neutrality by promoting hydrogen in FCEVs and other products. Its use of motorsport further refines its hydrogen engine technologies supporting its aim of realising a hydrogen-based society future.
Toyota believes that electric cars will proliferate and gain public acceptance over time as prices come down and infrastructure improves, but it sees issues with battery production capacity and the difficulty in sourcing sufficient materials needed to produce enough batteries for the growing number of EVs. Having introduced the world’s first-ever hybrid car back in 1997, Toyota believes that hybrids offer a better bridge than EVs between internal combustions vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
In explaining its reasoning behind the firm’s slow take-up on electric cars, a company spokesman had explained that Toyota had felt that although it was able to produce enough batteries for 28,000 electric cars each year, or 1.5 million hybrid cars. One other important factor is emissions. Toyota says that selling 1.5 million hybrid cars reduces carbon emissions by a third more than selling 28,000 electric cars. So, put simply, its carbon footprint is smaller if it sells many more gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.
The engine was developed as part of Toyota’s progress towards realising a carbon-neutral mobility society and powers a Corolla Sport built to technical regulations for the Super Taikuyu endurance racing series. Entered by ORC ROOKIE Racing, the car made its race debut on the 21-23 May 2021 race weekend.
Unlike Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), which produce electricity to power the engine through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air, Toyota’s hydrogen engine generates power through combustion, using fuel supply and injection systems modified from those used in a petrol engine.
Toyota believes that attaining carbon neutrality will require utilising and improving current technologies – hence this strategy. To that end, it sought to make the conversion from a petrol-fuelled internal combustion engine with minimal component changes and control technologies. Initially, the company tried a bi-fuel approach, using 50% gasoline and 50% hydrogen. From there, it attempted 100% hydrogen. The first engine broke down within five minutes, but with calibration sorted, the team was confident they could take it to an endurance racing environment for the ultimate test.
Hydrogen combustion actually has advantages in that it could help save jobs in the transition between today’s economy and tomorrow’s future technologies down the road. By using a hydrogen-powered engine you don’t have the extra expense of developing the electric motor or hi-tech batteries. Thus it’s a simple clean solution to a complicated problem. And hydrogen-engined cars are expected to be cheaper than current hybrids.
One of the biggest issues with hydrogen powered cars is the refueling infrastructure. Hydrogen is expensive and the refueling stations require significant investment. Meanwhile, you still have the expensive onboard hydrogen storage tanks which require hi-tech carbon-fiber wound technology to maximize the safety aspects. And after all, when it comes to hydrogen being marketed on a huge scale to power tomorrow’s society, the public will need to be convinced of the safety aspects of dealing with and managing hydrogen storage, transport and propulsion.
The race engine is the same G16E-GTS, 1,618cc turbocharged three-cylinder unit found in the Yaris GR, which features technologies that Toyota has refined in its motorsport participation and production vehicles; Only this time it’s using compressed hydrogen fuel. As hydrogen combustion happens faster than petrol combustion, it provides the potential for a highly responsive race engine.
The hydrogen-powered Rookie Racing-entered Corolla was entered in the ST-Q class and completed 358 laps in the Super Taikyu blue riband 24-hour race at an average speed of 67.963km/h – representing approximately 50% pace of the race-winning car.
The team carried out 35 pitstops over the course of the race, which took around seven minutes each giving an average stint length of 10.2 laps. As such, the car spent approximately four hours refuelling. Its fastest lap of 2m04.059s was slightly quicker than the best lap set in the slowest ST-5 class (for modified production cars with a displacement of 1,500cc or less) and around 24 seconds slower than the outright fastest lap.
From Toyota’s perspective, the hydrogen-fuelled Corolla’s debut was a success, and the project will accelerate the development of hydrogen cars and play a role in helping societies reduce their carbon emissions alongside electric vehicles. Toyota sees it as strengthening its efforts towards achieving carbon neutrality by promoting hydrogen in FCEVs and other products. Its use of motorsport further refines its hydrogen engine technologies supporting its aim of realising a hydrogen-based society future.
