V8 would run on H2 fuel, not electricity
Offers same power, same feel as gas V8
Yamaha is designing a V8 engine for Toyota that will run on hydrogen. Not a fuel cell, but instead using H2 in place of gasoline, it’s part of Toyota’s efforts to expand the life of the internal combustion engine while still working toward lower emissions and carbon neutrality. It might be green, but with 450 hp, it’s still pretty mean.
Toyota, along with Mazda and Subaru, have made it clear that they want to continue investing in internal combustion, and that battery-electric isn’t the only solution to lower emissions. The three automakers, along with Kawasaki and Yamaha, have said jointly that they want to expand to new fuel options.
One of the first examples of this was the Corolla that Toyota ran in the Super Taikyu series in Japan, but this new engine is something else entirely.
Based on the 5.0L V8 from the Lexus RC F, Yamaha – which has a long history developing car engines including for Ford’s Taurus SHO, for Volvo, and for the V10 Lexus LFA – modified it to use the new fuel.
New injectors, cylinder head changes, and an intake manifold let the V8 make 450 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, in the same range as what the engine makes on gasoline.
Yamaha said it has been working on a hydrogen combustion engine for about five years. “Everyone who came to test drive the prototype car would start off somewhat skeptical, but emerged from the car with a big smile on their face at the end. As I watched this, I started to believe that there is actually enormous potential in the characteristics unique to hydrogen engines instead of simply treating it as a substitute for gasoline,” said Yamaha engineer Takeshi Yamada.
While the power levels and quick refuelling are ideal for those used to internal combustion, one of the best parts of this engine is that it keeps the sound of its gasoline counterpart. Making it a zero-emissions screamer. Now they just need some hydrogen infrastructure to help it along.
