Toyota's Upcoming Hydrogen-Powered 5.0 V-8 Engine and the Future of EVs

Since it launched the revolutionary Prius in 1997, Toyota has been a leader in hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which paved the way for the current electric vehicle craze. However, in spite of its roots, the Japanese brand has been hesitant to jump headfirst into the all-electric trend. Toyota’s first 100-percent EV, the awkwardly named BZ4X, has sold only a few hundred units as of mid-October and according to a report by Electrek, the Japanese carmaker doesn't plan to ramp up production until 2025.

Toyota's slowness to adopt all-electric vehicles was reinforced by the company's president, Akio Toyoda. As the Wall Street Journal reports,

"People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda said. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend so they can’t speak out loudly. Because the right answer is still unclear, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one option.”

Although that sentiment is controversial, it merits consideration. According to automobile research firm J.D. Power, all-electrics amount to only a fraction of the total new car market.

Introducing The Corolla Cross H2 Concept

So what is Toyota’s alternative solution to meet increasingly strict environmental laws and fossil fuel phaseout? A new prototype hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (abbreviated "ICE") car called the Corolla Cross H2 Concept. Power comes from the hot 1.6 liter turbocharged three-cylinder used in the GR Corolla and GR Yaris, converted to using hydrogen as a fuel. What does that conversion process look like? To begin, thick, armored fuel tank(s) are required for holding the highly flammable hydrogen technology that Toyota gleaned from its FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), the Mirai.

The engine itself gets hardened valves and valve seats, stronger connecting rods, and fuel injectors that are designed for a gas, not liquid. Like a standard Corolla, the Cross H2 Concept has room for 5 passengers as well as their luggage. Besides the fact that hydrogen is the most abundant element in the entire universe, the benefits over EVs are higher range and faster refueling times, only 90 seconds in the case of the hydrogen-powered GR Yaris H2. There is also an obvious reduction in the use of limited-supply elements like lithium and nickel, which are required critical materials used in the cells of the battery packs of EV construction. The Corolla Cross H2 is currently undergoing real-world evaluation, with winter testing to begin soon in northern Japan.

A Large V-8 Is In The Works, Too

In what will be exciting news to gearheads everywhere, Toyota has also partnered with Yamaha Motor to develop a hydrogen-fueled V-8 engine. In an announcement earlier this year, Yamaha said the 5.0-liter V-8 would be based on the one used by the Lexus RC Coupe, with modifications to its cylinder heads and fuel injectors, among other things. Yamaha claims that it’ll produce 455 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. That’s a bit less power than the original gasoline V-8 that it’s based on, but still quite respectable. But the most stunning feature of the hydrogen V-8 has to be the eight-into-one top-mounted exhaust manifold, which Yamaha claims creates a distinct high-frequency sound.

This Technology Has A Checkered Past

The concept of powering an internal combustion engine with hydrogen is not a new one. Most notably, German automaker BMW produced the 750HL back in 2002, followed by the Hydrogen 7 in 2005. The Hydrogen 7 was based on BMW’s traditional gasoline-powered 6.0-liter V-12, but with modifications to burn hydrogen as well as gasoline. That technically made it a dual-fuel engine and only 100 total were produced. Some of the downsides to hydrogen is that it's highly flammable, difficult to process and store, and the combustion process emits nitrous oxide.

While nitrous oxide may not be considered as bad as carbon monoxide from a fossil fuel-burning engine, it is nonetheless considered a pollutant by the EPA. The number of nitrous oxide emissions from a hydrogen engine can be reduced by introducing additional air into the mixture, but that also greatly decreases efficiency, necessitating a larger displacement engine than its gasoline counterpart.

EVs Are Not Without Fault Either

As opposed to almost all the other automakers who are betting everything on electric cars, Toyota’s approach to carbon neutrality is more diversified, evaluating multiple technologies to achieve the goal of zero emissions. This ethos seems increasingly prescient when you consider that with the war in Ukraine and its impact on energy supplies, countries in Europe are looking for ways to cut energy use. In fact, Switzerland has gone so far as to encourage EV drivers to only use their cars for urgent needs like going to work or going to the grocery store - and it could be codified into a law.

Whether you see hydrogen-powered ICE vehicles as the wave of the future or the proverbial wild goose chase, kudos to Toyota for at least thinking outside the box. The idea sure holds a lot of promise, but some major advancements in technology with regard to the infrastructure and storage of Hydrogen will have to be made before widespread adoption is even possible.