Do You Know Yamaha Is Producing A 5.0Lliter V8 HYDROGEN ENGINES For Toyota
The Lexus LFA additionally had a 4.8-liter evidently aspirated, high-revving V10 co-evolved with Yamaha.
Combustion engines have a soft spot for enthusiasts, but that sentiment doesn’t translate well to other people’s groups. We are at a point where internal combustion engines are under intense scrutiny by regulatory agencies. Witnessed a slow but steady phasing.
It’s not like the IC engine is dead. Oh, not yet. You still have high-performance fuel chugging engines that power everything from commercial airlines to lawnmowers. Their days are numbered.
California has recently passed a law banning gas powered lawn mowers. Many other movements around the world are pushing car manufacturers to switch from fossil fuels to other sustainable alternatives.
In the meantime, we have good news from courtesy of Japan. Toyota has partnered with Yamaha in its quest to unlock hydrogen mobility possibilities. We have seen this happen in the past with fuel cell EVs quietly selling along with their electric-only counterparts.
Well, this move is very different. It’s a move that makes us ashamed and excited, not enthusiasts.
We are speakme about a hydrogen powered inner combustion engine. And it is now no longer an itty-bitty four-bunger. The engine in question is a 5.0-liter V8. Here’s approximately it.
Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine: Toyota and Yamaha are once again partnering
Toyota-and-Yamaha-developing-hydrogen-fuel-450-hp-V8
image source autoevolution
Self-evolution
Remember the Lexus LFA? Toyota’s flagship Supercar 4.8-liter naturally aspirated high-revving V10 was developed alongside Yamaha. The latter is more involved in tuning the carโs acoustics, giving the V10 its signature exhaust note.
Fast forward to today and they are once again partnering with hydrogen-fueled combustion engines. Interestingly, Yamaha claims that the 5.0-liter V8 engine is based on the engine used in the Lexus RCF. During testing, the Yamaha Hydrogen engine managed to squeeze 450 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque; Statistics close to the gas-powered Lexus coupe. It comes courtesy of modified cylinder heads, injectors, intake manifolds and many other components.
Image source caranddriver.com
A spokesman for Yamaha’s R&D had positive things to say about the engine. The power plant has easy-to-use performance characteristics and plenty of sound. The top-mounted eight-in-one manifold of the Hydrogen V8 is said to offer a harmonic high-frequency exhaust note. It may not exceed the soundtrack of Yamaha’s V10 Masterpiece, but we’re sure the team won’t be disappointed.
Hydrogen ICE: There Are Other Players
Image source Hotcars
Burning hydrogen in a combustion engine instead of gasoline or diesel is not a new idea. BMW once produced the Hydrogen 7, the main version of its 7 Series with a hydrogen-powered V-12 combustion engine.
Chinese automaker GAC recently announced that it is testing a hydrogen combustion engine, although it is not clear whether the engine will reach production. Yamaha has partnered with Kawasaki for joint research on hydrogen combustion engines for bikes and four-wheel applications.
Joseph Cyril Bamford (JCB), a leading player in heavy-duty machinery, has developed a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine as a zero-emission alternative to EVs and fuel cells.
Image source JCB
Currently JCBs are operating using diesel. By modifying the engine slightly, engineers were able to run it using hydrogen. The modification, as suggested by Chief Engineer John McCarthy, involves changes to the cylinder heads. It is mainly adapted for conversion from compression ignition to spark ignition.
Also, significant engineering was done in the emission department. The inherent disadvantage of hydrogen ICE is the production of various oxides of nitrogen or NOX. Engineers found a clever way to avoid this by running the engine lean, and it worked.
As it sounds, hydrogen is still not a viable solution. Primarily hydrogen propulsion is in its infancy. On top of that, EVs are becoming a trend, and more government incentives than hydrogen support electricity. This means widespread adoption can still take time.
In addition, hydrogen fuel stations are not as popular as charging points. In fact, California is the only place where hydrogen-powered vehicles can be practical in North America. Of the 39 odd hydrogen stations nationwide, 35 are located in California. Then there’s the trouble of the garage and transportation. The costs, at least for now, are not worth the effort.
As you say, using the imagination has its fair share of problems. That said, hydrogen engines are a viable solution after making initial disruptions.
From a consumer perspective, EVs are usually on the more expensive side of the spectrum. Batteries use rare-earth minerals, and as time goes on, availability decreases, leading to an increase in cost.
A car with a hydrogen engine is emission-free, but its price is likely to slot between an EV and a gasoline car, making it an excellent alternative. The concept gets a lot of traction
FAQ
What is the relationship between Toyota and Yamaha?
Yamaha Motor and Toyota had a relationship 30 years ago, when Yamaha first supplied the engine to Toyota’s 2000GT sports car. Yamaha Motor currently supplies engines to Toyota’s RAV4, Supra and Alteza, known as the Lexus IS300 in the United States and the IS200 in Europe.
Where are Yamaha engines manufactured?
Yamaha Outboard Motors is manufactured in four production bases: Fukuroi South Factory (Fukuroy City, Shizuoka Prefecture) and group company Yamaha Kumamoto Products Co., Ltd. (Yatsuhiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture) in Japan, MBK Industry in France and Yamaha Motor in France. Amazonia li
What is Yamaha famous for?
Yamaha has grown into the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instruments (including pianos, “silent” pianos, drums, guitars, brass instruments, woodwinds, violins, violas, cello and vibraphones), and has become a leading manufacturer of semiconductors and audio. / Visual, computer related products, sports equipment
Has Yamaha ever made a car?
In 1967 Yamaha entered the automobile market by producing engines for Toyota.
Will Yamaha make engines for Toyota?
Prasently, Yamaha Motor concentrating on Creating and producing automobile engines for number of car manufacturers.ย Along with Toyota Motor, so far the company has supplied engines to Ford and Volvo.
