Hydrogen V8 ICE

Exciting news for internal combustion engine (ICE) lovers: Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and Kawasaki are wanting to collaborate on the attempt to keep the combustion engine alive while meeting all the global clean air targets.  Not only that, but Toyota and long-time Japanese engineering partner Yamaha are at work developing a special new hydrogen-powered 5.0-litre V8 engine.  Unlike a hydrogen fuel-cell car, which combines hydrogen and oxygen atoms to create electricity to drive a motor, this new hydrogen V8 internal combustion engine is a conventional piston-driven engine that has been tuned to burn hydrogen instead of petrol.

While this newly developed V8 engine isn’t completely new, the way it’s fuelled is.  It’s a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 that is based off the engine that has been used in the Lexus RC F coupe.  Yamaha says that it produces around 335 kW of power at 6800 rpm and 540 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm.  Having modified the injectors, the head, the intake manifolds and other engine components, this work has added up to make the engine environmentally friendly.  The hydrogen-fed ICE has become less powerful than the petrol-fed V8 that the hydrogen engine is based on.  In the Lexus RC F coupe, the petrol V8 puts out 472 kW and 536 Nm of torque, so while torque has increased a little, power has dropped considerably.  That said, 331 kW is still a stonking amount of power to enjoy, and more often than not it is the torque that you really want in the real world conditions.  You also still get the sound of a burbling V8, and what’s not to like about that!

Yamaha engineer, Takeshi Yamada, said that the engine has a different character to a conventional petrol motor.  He stated that hydrogen engines provide a friendlier feel, making them easier to use even without having utilize other electronic aids for the drive.

Toyota is clearly committed to the project of providing ICE powerplants that use hydrogen as the fuel.  Given that Toyota has run a hydrogen-powered Toyota Corolla in Japan’s Super Taikyu race series as well as showcasing a hydrogen-powered Toyota Yaris GR prototype with the same hydrogen engine technology, it is obvious that they want to continue with this new breed of ICE.

One of the beauties about burning hydrogen instead of petrol is that the hydrogen powerplant does not produce carbon dioxide, which is considered to be one of the primary contributors to global warming.  There would also be no significant nitrogen oxides emissions from an ICE designed to burn hydrogen, thanks to the selective catalytic reduction technology used in the aftertreatment of the combustion gases.

“Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time,” Yamaha Motor president Yoshihiro Hidaka said.  He also added that: “I started to see that engines using only hydrogen for fuel actually had very fun, easy-to-use performance characteristics”.

While hydrogen is plentiful in the universe, it must be separated from other compounds to be used as fuel.  Up to the year 2020, most hydrogen was produced from fossil fuels, resulting in CO₂ emissions. Hydrogen obtained from fossil fuels is often referred to as grey hydrogen, when emissions are released into the atmosphere.  Blue hydrogen is the hydrogen produced from fossil fuels when emissions are captured through carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Hydrogen that is produced from fossil fuels using the newer non-polluting technology called methane pyrolysis is often called turquoise hydrogen.

You can also generate hydrogen from renewable energy sources, and this hydrogen is often referred to as green hydrogen.  There are two practical ways of producing green hydrogen.  One of the ways is to use electric power for producing hydrogen from the electrolysis of water.  The other way of producing green hydrogen is to use landfill gas to produce the green hydrogen in a steam reformer.  Hydrogen fuel, when it is produced by using renewable sources of energy like wind or solar power, is a renewable fuel.

Hydrogen can also be created from another renewable energy source called nuclear energy via electrolysis, and this is sometimes seen as a subset of green hydrogen, but it can also be referred to as being pink hydrogen.

Obviously, when a car can be designed to run on hydrogen that has been produced from renewable energy sources, then this is a good thing.  Toyota and Yamaha remain adamant that this is great technology which could carve out a niche for itself in the new EV automotive landscape.

Toyota has also recently revealed a fleet of 12 zero tailpipe-emission concept vehicles, many of which will reach production in the coming years.

This is all good news stuff, especially for those of us who love the sound of an ICE instead of a silent EV.  The noisy farts always get the best round of laughter!

An FCEV for Our Environment

With the rising concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, the development of ammonia fuelled vehicles as environmentally friendly cars would have to look rather promising.  A car running on NH₃ – now what’s not to like about that?

Many scientists believe that it is urgent to reduce CO₂ emissions because of the global warming effect that the gas has on the climate around the globe.  Despite CO₂ in the atmosphere being great for plant growth (some of the edges of the earth’s deserts are greening up again with increased CO₂ in the atmosphere), and the earth’s water cycle playing a pivotal role in governing the earth’s temperature, the drive to create taxing emission standards and expensive alternatives continues to drive government policy worldwide.  What if we gradually changed over to another source of energy so that everyone in the world could afford the switch, allowing people to maintain a higher standard of living?

Using CO₂–free fuels to reduce the level of CO₂ emissions could be a viable option in the current climate.  So, what about ammonia?

An internal combustion engine (ICE) burns a fuel.  Basically, you can convert an engine to run on any fuel such as fossil-fuels, hydrogen and ammonia, and there are many ways to do so.  ICE engines are very good in combination with battery and hybrid systems.  It would be a perfect solution to make a hydrogen-fuelled vehicle with hydrogen that has been cracked out of ammonia and stored in the vehicle.  The ammonia would then be used to drive the electric propulsion system because an electric propulsion system is highly efficient.  That would be a perfect vehicle.

The battery system in this model would not need to be anywhere near the size of a pure EV and anywhere near the weight.  For instance, in a Tesla, the whole EV platform under the car is a battery pack that is massively heavy.  A clean-burning ICE producing heat-waste from the combustion process could use this heat-waste to warm up the cabin’s interior on a cold day, cool the cabin down via a heat exchanger, and could also be used to cool and heat the battery accordingly for optimum battery operating temperatures.

You can store accessible hydrogen in the form of ammonia (NH₃).  Unlike hydrogen gas, which requires very low (cryogenic) temperatures to liquefy, ammonia becomes a liquid at –34°C.  Ammonia also does so at room temperature and at 9 atmospheric pressures, making it much more convenient to use as a transportation fuel.  Ammonia is comparatively inexpensive to produce, and the hydrogen can be separated out using catalysts without undue losses.

Essentially, you have a car with a combustion engine that is burning the hydrogen that is cracked out of the stored ammonia onboard the car to produce electricity.  The engine would have an alternator as an electric motor that would power the drivetrain with electricity at close to 99% efficiency.  This set-up is known as a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV).

The FCEV above uses stored ammonia that’s cracked onboard the car to produce hydrogen to run the electric drive train – only emitting water vapour and warm air as exhaust, and is considered a zero-emission vehicle.  Now that sounds pretty smart, efficient and green to me!

Coming Up 2022

Like opening a Christmas present, finding out what cars are coming to us over the next year (2022) is an exciting prospect.  Here’s just a few vehicles that pricked my ears up the most:

Genesis G80 Electric

This is Genesis’ first-ever electric vehicle, and it’s coming to Australia early 2022.  Making use of solar panels that are integrated into the roof, using recycled timber and plastic materials for its interior, the Genesis G80 Electric is a very special flagship.  Ride comfort will be nothing short of amazing, utilising a ‘Pre-view’ adaptive suspension system that feeds data from cameras at the front of the car as well as from the navigation system to pre-empt road surfaces and adjust the suspension’s ride response as necessary.  Four interior sensors and six-microphones are present in the cabin to counteract intrusive audio frequencies – serenity exemplified!

It will be dynamic to drive, light on its feet and comfortable.  The twin-motor electric powertrain delivers 272 kW of power and 700 Nm of torque through an all-wheel drive system, enabling the G80 EV to blister the 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

The car will seamlessly switch between 2WD and AWD according to demands and conditions, thus reducing unnecessary power loss and increasing efficiency.  Genesis is claiming a 500 km-plus cruising range for the luxury EV flagship on a full battery charge.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

The good-looking new Jeep Grand Cherokee will provide five and seven-seat variants. It will be powered exclusively by the familiar 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine.  The V8 option won’t launch in Oz – a pity, maybe in the future.

The new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee looks impressive with a range that comprises: Night Eagle, Limited, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve trims, all of which will be available, primarily, as seven-seaters.  The Summit and Summit Reserve models will be able to be optioned with six seats rather than seven, allowing two free-standing captain’s seats that is separated by an elevated centre console.  The Night Eagle runs with a five-seater arrangement and, obviously a massive boot space.

The three higher grades also get a Quadra-Lift air suspension that can raise to 262 mm.

Mazda6

A very exciting new Mazda6 comes with a BMW-rivalling straight-six engine and rear-wheel-drive layout.  This will be Mazda’s flagship passenger car, and available in both SKYACTIV-X petrol and diesel forms.  Mazda’s new inline-six engine and eight-speed automatic transmission will be a peach, offering 48-volt mild-hybrid technology that increases power and efficiency by combining a belt-driven starter-generator and a small lithium-ion battery that’s recharged using any recovered energy.  The new mild-hybrid inline-six will produce around 260 kW.

The 2022 Mazda6 should win plenty of design awards thanks to its gorgeous, flowing lines and low-profile stance.  The Lexus IS, Genesis G70, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be firmly in its sight.

MG5

All-new and Thai-built, the MG5 is the next step in MG’s excellent plan.  There should be an MPV and a ute offered later as well.  Size-wise it’s similar to a Toyota Corolla, and price-wise should undercut Corolla and Kia Cerato rivals.

The MG5 will come with two body styles and be powered by an internal-combustion engine as well as an electrified powertrain.  First to arrive will be the petrol-powered liftback sedan, and there won’t be a station wagon option.

The MG5 builds onto the already widely popular MG ES SUV models.

Nissan Pathfinder

A brand new Nissan Pathfinder is coming that will offer an eight-seat option, as well as a model that comes with second-row captain’s chairs configuration.  Eight seats is something that even the top-selling Toyota Kluger cannot provide, nor the fine Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, and new Jeep Grand Cherokee.  This, therefore, sets it up nicely with the Mazda CX-9’s second-row captain’s chair variant.  Comfort is at the essence of what is a handy off-road/come tourer, and the Pathfinder will impress with space and refinement.

It will be loaded with goodies: an all-new infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging and connectivity, a 13-speaker Bose Premium Audio system, a digital Intelligent Around View Monitor, a 9.0-inch infotainment touch-screen, a 10.8-inch digital head-up display, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The 3.5-litre petrol V6 with 210 kW and 350 Nm matches to an all-new nine-speed automatic transmission for smooth, relaxed perogress.  The all-new Intelligent 4WD system with seven-position Drive and Terrain Mode Selector gives it an off-road edge, while drive modes will include Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow.

Its fresh exterior design with a three-slot V-motion grille, C-shaped LED headlights, a ‘floating’ roofline and slimmer LED tail-lights all looks eye-catching and spacious. A total of 11 paint colour combinations will be offered.

Subaru WRX

Finally, the new Subaru WRX is coming!

The fifth-generation Japanese sports sedan’s boasts a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol boxer engine with 202 kW, and 350 Nm of torque comes spread out over a flatter and wider torque curve.  This will be joined by the higher-output STI version in late 2022/early 2023. A six-speed manual transmission and an improved eight-speed CVT auto with transmission oil cooler and paddle shifters lead the charge.

The new WRX rides on the same Subaru Global Platform that underpins the latest Impreza, helping to congeal a solid handling package with an improved ride and nicer refinement.

The chassis is more rigid, and Subaru provides the WRX with dual-pinion electric power steering, MacPherson front and double-wishbone rear suspension with revised suspension geometry, a lower centre of gravity and electronically adaptive dampers for GT versions, making for a sweet driver’s car with significantly improved handling dynamics.

Australia’s Most-Loved Utes Will be Going Hybrid

Earlier this year, Toyota set the benchmark when it announced that its much-loved dual-cab ute, the HiLux would be produced in hybrid format by the end of this decade. Although a long way off, it certainly set the scene for plenty to get excited about, with electrification here and here in a big way, and only set to gain more traction as time goes on.

We’re actually somewhat optimistic that Toyota will be able to fast-track the development of a hybrid HiLux given the tailwinds in effect pushing manufacturers to accelerate the transition to more environmentally-friendly cars. So while Toyota has flagged until the end of the decade for a hybrid HiLux, that may well be the case for the company’s entire model range, rather than it’s best-seller.

Toyota has been on record as saying it believes hybrids will be one of the dominant forms of vehicle over the short-term, while also representing a major chunk of the new car market down the track.

Ford joins the party with the Ranger

Australia’s other favourite ute, the Ford Ranger, is also set for an electrified future.

The blue oval brand has confirmed it will develop a hybrid Ranger, alongside a hybrid Everest four-wheel drive, with the jointly-developed pair set to be engineered locally in Australia and assembled out of Thailand.

Pleasingly, Ford is on a fast track to production, aiming to have the duo rolled out overseas by 2024, targeting countries where emissions targets are driving the push to green vehicles. Although that date does not extend to Australia at this stage, there is likely to be pressure over the coming years, particularly on a political front, that will hasten the need for more hybrid and electrified vehicles down under.

This development could very well play into the cards of a hybrid Ranger arriving much sooner than the timeline provided by Toyota. If that looks likely, watch out, because Toyota may well throw down the gauntlet to compete with its arch-nemesis on the hybrid battlefield.

It is looking increasingly as though a hybrid Ranger will be offered in petrol-electric format, with countries across Europe and North America now seemingly putting the brakes on diesel emissions.

What’s even more interesting, however, is that the 2022 version of the Ranger has been ‘future’proofed’ to accommodate hybrid power down the track, raising eyebrows about an even earlier arrival. Ford has achieved this thanks to a redesign of the Ranger’s chassis, optimising space under the hood.

What does it all mean? The timelines might be quite distant, but we think there could very well be a surprise to the upside in terms of the hybrid development of Australia’s two best-selling cars.