Apparently new engine which the experts do not fully believe: it is not electric, nor gas nor hydrogen. There is little doubt about the need for humanity to find new alternative fuels to fossil fuels due to their high environmental footprint. The transport sector is one of the most affected by this phase of decarbonisation and the energy transition because it is still dependent on fossils.
In recent years, different companies have been encouraged to try new ways of mobilizing different vehicles, although the definitive fuel to replace fossils has not yet been found.
With the advent of new fuels, vehicle manufacturers also found it necessary to modify existing engines or create new models. This is what happened to a well-known pioneering firm in what they call “the fuel of the future”.
Neither electricity nor gaseous hydrogen: the most innovative formula surprises this engine
The car manufacturer Toyota presented to the world hydrogen engine who already perform in sports competitions. While a large number of companies focus their efforts on electrifying their fleets, the Japanese company chose a more diverse strategy, exploring the hydrogen as a better alternative.
he hydrogen engine created by the hands of Toyota It is specially designed for a sports car and is seen by many as a milestone for internal combustion. Although the market has seen great progress in the field of electric vehicles, the focus is on the hydrogen it opens a new path towards reducing emissions without completely giving up combustion technology.
Toyota It has perfected the technology, precisely adapting the traditional heat engines so that they can work with them hydrogenwhich could provide a sustainable and powerful alternative capable of combating electrification.
It is clearly different from the fuel cell, which transforms H into electricity. The proposal of Toyota United States of America hydrogen as a direct fuel in an internal combustion engine. This technology is still in its early stages of development, but has already shown great competitive potential.
From 2021, Toyota there is competition with a prototype of the model Corolla GR H2, initially using gaseous hydrogen and more recently a version opting for liquid hydrogenand that’s why we can’t say that the engine itself is hydrogen, since liquid and gaseous H have clear differences.
Difference between liquid hydrogen and gaseous hydrogen
he hydrogen It is a chemical element usually found in gaseous state under standard conditions temperature and pressure. However, through a intense cooling process (under very low temperature), it can reduce its temperature to levels close to absolute zero and allow (-273.15 °C or -459.67 °F, as recorded DiMateria), allowing for condense and transform into a liquid.
Significant progress was made in the transition to liquid H. One of the main advantages of this technology is the reduction in space for fuel storage and refueling, as well as improving the efficiency of pit stops during races. In the 24 hours NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC, Toyota competing with a prototype of the GR Corolla powered by liquid H, achieving higher lap times than its predecessor which used gaseous H.
In part, this result is due to a weight reduction of more than 50 kg, which allows to improve the maneuverability and performance of the vehicle. This is how the Toyota’s new liquid hydrogen engine It marks a before and after in the automotive world.