It was stated in a report from AP News that Toyota had installed hydrogen combustion engines in its racing cars and now it is testing them for commercial applications.
Toyota got a 1.6-liter hydrogen combustion engine fixed in a Toyota Yaris racing car and two hydrogen tanks in the back seat area of the vehicle.
The engines, which burn hydrogen as fuel instead of gasoline, are not the same as the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which use hydrogen to make electricity. Toyota is trying to create more ways to make way for clean and green transport.
Toyota has not given out information on whether hydrogen combustion engines might be fitted to commercial vehicles soon or not. The company knows that there are still limitations that need to be recognized and addressed. However, with a few adjustments in the fuel piping and injection systems, the hydrogen engines, things can be made feasible.
In May, Volkswagen Auto Group CEO Herbert Diess criticized hydrogen vehicle proponents in a tweet and stated that he supported electric vehicle technologies. Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed his support for Diess’s comments by saying “Diess is right. Hydrogen is a staggeringly dumb form of energy storage for cars. Barely worth considering it for a rocket upper stage, which is its most compelling use.”
Japan has still been supporting hydrogen use in its Green Growth Strategy, announced in 2020. Other automakers, such as BMW, are also backing hydrogen, having announced plans for a hydrogen fuel cell SUV by 2022. In June, Toyota stated that it set a new world record by driving its hydrogen-fueled Toyota Mirai 623 miles (1,003 km) on a single fill of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen may not be the best option but according to IPCC’s latest report on climate change, the situation is dire and every alternative needs to be tried.