Electric Cars, Goodbye
It was 2021 when Toyota began designing new engines as an alternative to the zero-emission powertrains of electric cars-the result was unveiled to the world these days.
The idea came by designing a hydrogen engine that would not emit carbon dioxide, and the brand's then CEO, Akio Toyoda, led the project himself, testing the powertrain in a GR Corolla, a car that can also be bought by the wayside in Europe.
Balancing all the various mechanisms that engage in an engine was not easy, but through a continuous series of trial and error, Toyota eventually succeeded in designing the next generation of ultra-low-carbon gasoline engines.
The curtain on these new powertrains went up on May 28, and in recent days Toyota's CTO, Hiroki Nakajima, spoke to Autonews, explaining precisely how the experience on hydrogen was the basis for these new chapter.
These are engines that are smaller, between 10 and 20 percent, than the current ones, but offer the same fuel efficiency if not better, with more power. They can also run on zero-emission fuels, such as synthetic electronic fuels, biodiesel or hydrogen, in addition to gasoline, of course, so they are already projected beyond 2035.
Because of their compact size and low emissions, they are perfect for hybrid systems. "This is a revolutionary solution. This new engine has a lot of room to play with," Nakajima pointed out, obviously confident in presenting Toyota's new project. The company worked tirelessly to get there, for example modifying the stroke and making it shorter, which was "very difficult," the CTO of the Japanese automaker explained further.
No exact figures were given regarding the thermal efficiency of these innovative powertrains, but the company nonetheless explained that the new 1.5-liter engine will be extremely better in this respect than its current ICE counterpart, and the same goes for the 2.0-liter version.
"The development of the hydrogen engine has really contributed to our deeper understanding of engine thermal efficiency," Nakajima said again. 'It was a trigger that brought about this technology,' he added.
These new engines are expected to come to market in 2027 when Euro 7 regulations are triggered. "They will be completely different from today's conventional engines," CTO said again. Toyota made it known that it will be engaged in the development of internal combustion engines for a long time to come, then sent a message to sailors, "This is just the beginning of a new era for such technology."