10:52 am, December 7, 2022
Toyota says it’s managed to increase hydrogen engine power by nearly a quarter over the past year.
In 2021, the manufacturer revealed a one-off version of its GR Yaris that used hydrogen rather than petrol for the engine.
It’s been continuing to develop the technology as it looks at various possibilities for zero-emission vehicles, with the hydrogen-powered Yaris shown in action at various motorsport activities.
Toyota says it’s made ‘rapid progress’ with the technology over the year, and looking back on the original reveal, Toyota Motor Europe CEO Matt Harrison said: ‘It was almost like we’d discovered the holy grail.’
He added: ‘Since then, our engineers have worked hard to further develop the technology.’
Toyota says ongoing testing has led to ‘rapid progress’ with the tech.
It claims to have increased engine power by 24 per cent, improved engine torque by 33 per cent and ‘significantly’ cut the time needed to refuel.
Toyota is now applying the tech away from motorsport and it might even make production, creating a prototype of its Corolla Cross SUV – not currently sold in the UK – that runs on hydrogen combustion.
The manufacturer says the model is suitable for everyday use and that because the hydrogen tanks are beneath the boot floor, it can seat five adults and accommodate their luggage as well.
It will soon begin winter-testing the hydrogen combustion model in northern Japan.
The propulsion technology is said to be ‘40 per cent along the path to commercialisation’, although Harrison added that it was ‘too early to say’ whether the model would ever reach full production.
However, he said there was a ‘clear opportunity in motorsport’.
