Beyond Batteries: Hydrogen Combustion Engine, A Viable Alternative for Clean Mobility

Electric vehicles running on battery-powered electricity are not just a future concept anymore. The new electric vehicle sales surpassed the 10 million mark worldwide in 2022 and it seems likely that sooner or later EVs will replace the conventional ICE mobility options. However, bottlenecks impeding EV growth and the technological advancements in using hydrogen as a fuel raise the doubts about how long would EV remain a premier mobility solution. Consequently, it doesn’t sound unwarranted to wonder if hydrogen will be the winner in the future, replacing battery-powered vehicles.

Hydrogen Combustion Engine Vehicle is one such technological advancement weighing on the idea of using hydrogen as a fuel. Toyota is one of the mega car manufacturers vying for the technology. The technology can be a huge rival to current EV technology marred with several challenges, such as range anxiety and charging time, among others. This article gives a brief idea about the revolutionary concept the Japanese car manufacturer is counting on – the Hydrogen Combustion Engine.

Toyota’s GR Corolla H2

Toyota, as a part of its Beyond Zero campaign, recently brought the Corolla Cross H2 concept, a new prototype car with a hydrogen combustion engine. The Japanese carmaker has collaborated with Yamaha Motor to create a hydrogen-fueled V-8 engine, which produces 455 hp and 398 pound-feet of torque.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTawvzH0MQ4

It is equipped with a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine. It equips a thick, armoured, fuel tank to store the highly flammable hydrogen, a technology of its FCEV Mirai. The range per fuel quantity is impressive at 300 miles per 5 kg of hydrogen consumed. Notable, the only emission is water – 50 litres. The car is now undergoing real-world evaluation and winter road condition testing in Northern Japan.

The engine emits nearly no CO2, and only very small quantities of other noxious gases – significantly less than a gasoline engine. With all this, safety is also taken care of which happens to be one of the major challenges to using hydrogen as a fuel.

The Japanese government is rooting for the technology and is planning to have 200,000 fuel cell-powered vehicles on the road by 2025, and 800,000 by 2030. The plan also includes expanding refuelling stations across the country.

But, can the so-called hydrogen combustion engine disrupt the auto market for EVs?

Potential of Hydrogen Combustion Engines

Hydrogen-powered cars reduce the need for rare metals like lithium and nickel, critical to the manufacturing of EV battery packs. This would also solve the issue of high dependency on China. While they use a battery, they are much smaller than EV batteries. Furthermore, H2 vehicles have a higher range and faster refuelling times compared to electric cars – about a couple of minutes!

Zero emissions, fast refuelling, high energy density, and versatility are some of the known advantages of hydrogen fuel cell technology. Now, Toyota is bringing another concept to use hydrogen in what it calls a hydrogen combustion engine.

As electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a prominent technology in the ongoing energy transition, it’s worth noting that hydrogen combustion engine technology has the potential to challenge and even surpass the investments and technological advancements made in the EV market, making it a formidable contender in the realm of mobility.

Challenges to Hydrogen Combustion Engine

While hydrogen combustion engine technology has the potential for significant advancements in the mobility market, several challenges need to be addressed.

Hydrogen Production: The production of hydrogen can be energy-intensive and costly, requiring methods such as steam methane reforming or electrolysis. The development of sustainable and cost-effective methods for hydrogen production from renewable sources is crucial to ensure its viability as a clean energy source.

Fuel Storage: Hydrogen has low energy density per unit volume, which means that it needs to be stored at high pressures or cryogenic temperatures to achieve sufficient energy storage. This requires specialized storage tanks and infrastructure, which can be expensive to implement and maintain. Ensuring safe and efficient hydrogen storage methods is critical for the widespread adoption of hydrogen combustion engine technology.

Distribution Infrastructure: The infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling is limited compared to traditional gasoline or even EV charging stations.

Safety Considerations: Hydrogen is highly flammable and requires strict safety protocols for handling, storage, and transportation. Ensuring adequate safety measures, regulations, and training for personnel involved in hydrogen production, storage, and distribution is crucial to mitigate potential safety risks.

Cost and Affordability: Hydrogen combustion engine technology currently faces cost challenges in production and infrastructure. The production and distribution of hydrogen can be expensive, and the technology for hydrogen combustion engines is still in the early stages of development. Achieving cost competitiveness with other forms of propulsion technologies, including EVs, is a significant hurdle that needs to be overcome for the wider adoption of hydrogen combustion engine technology.

Scalability and Efficiency: Hydrogen combustion engines are still in the early stages of development, and there is room for improvement in terms of their efficiency and scalability. Research and development efforts need to continue to optimize hydrogen combustion engine technology to achieve higher efficiency, longer range, and broader scalability for different types of vehicles.

The transportation industry is one of the biggest emitters, contributing approximately 20 per cent of global GHG emissions, as per the World Bank. While hydrogen combustion engine technology has the potential for significant advancements in the mobility market, the challenges need to be overcome if it has to beat electric vehicles’ grip in the market. The Toyota chapter is just the beginning.