Despite practically every automaker making plans to go entirely electric, Toyota is veering away from the trend. Toyota is the largest vehicle manufacturer in the world, with 11.5% share in vehicles sold, however they continue to steer clear of producing EV’s. Why? The hydrogen combustion engine.
Hydrogen Combustion May Outperform the Pure Electric Vehicle.
Toyota is aiming to create something better than the EV. “Toyota has gone against the grain by pushing back on EVs, and this is another example that they aren’t ready to go all-in on electric yet”.[i] Stating that electric vehicles are over-hyped and not actually environmentally friendly, Toyota’s CEO is committed to investing in alternative technology. Toyota wants to provide a variety of power train options for all people, whether they live in countries with EV friendly infrastructure, or not. This includes options like gasoline-powered internal combustion-based engines and hydrogen to electric models.[ii]
Toyota consistently voices its stance on the issue, even urging against the idea of going all-in on pure electric vehicles. “The electric vehicles Toyota offers can’t be just more EVs to keep up with the times, but “must answer the question of what kind of EV Toyota can offer,” Sato said.
It’s not just Toyota’s CEO negatively evaluating the future of electric vehicles. Ford CEO, Jim Farley, stated in a recent interview, “EVs are generally heavier than their internal combustion engine counterparts. But what many people seem to forget is that heavier vehicles are inherently more polluting than lighter ones, regardless of whether they emit any tailpipe emissions. All vehicles produce non-exhaust emissions from a variety of sources, including rubber tires, road dust, and brakes. This is especially true for electric vehicles thanks to the added weight from their batteries.”[vi]
Finally, something in-between.
EV’s are marketed as the only current solution to combat carbon emissions worldwide, however, there is now another option in development, and it promises to be more sustainable, and overall, better for the environment than the electric vehicle. Toyota is not only dedicated to providing hybrid choices, but they are aggressively pushing to produce hydrogen-powered vehicles as well. Toyota’s new CEO, Koji Sato, believes hydrogen is the way forward. Toyota has come up with something completely different, a game-changer in the auto industry, and they’re calling it the new hydrogen combustion engine.[i] “Toyota has been developing this engine as part of its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and promote the use of hydrogen as a clean and renewable energy source”.[iii]
Why Hydrogen combustion is a game-changer.
A traditional hydrogen engine uses a fuel cell, and the engine converts hydrogen into electricity. However, this new engine works completely different, burning hydrogen directly in a modified gasoline engine.
Hydrogen combustion will indeed be a desirable mode of transportation. These engines have a longer range than electric vehicles, and do not require constant recharging. Hydrogen combustion has a smaller environmental impact than the lithium batteries that power EVs. In this engine, hydrogen is combusted to produce water with no carbon-based emissions.[v] Providing more resource security, the hydrogen combustion engine will be a more reliable way to drive in the future, for those who can afford the investment.
There is a long way to go in development, and the costs of ownership remain to be seen. However, the promise of the hydrogen combustion engine gives drivers the gift of choice, providing a welcome alternative to the Electric vehicle.
[i] YouTube. (2023a). YouTube. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sosEGk068.
[ii] YouTube. (2023a). YouTube. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7MjajHMAY.
[iii] YouTube. (2023). YouTube. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTawvzH0MQ4.
[iv] YouTube. (2023a). YouTube. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sosEGk068.
[v] Are hydrogen combustion engines a really bad idea. Interact Analysis. (2023, February 1). https://interactanalysis.com/insight/are-hydrogen-combustion-engines-a-really-bad-idea-for-commercial-vehicles/#:~:text=Hydrogen%20is%20combusted%20to%20produce,are%20harmful%20to%20human%20health.
[vi] An auto CEO came very close to saying the right thing about heavy EV batteries. MSN. (n.d.). https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/an-auto-ceo-came-very-close-to-saying-the-right-thing-about-heavy-ev-batteries/ar-AA1bxnzY?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=f8c9d2cc972a4dbc837663696f1f0cdd&ei=91
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