History is proof that when Toyota and Yamaha teamed up to build an engine, the results were amazing. Lexus LFA’s V10 is a joint effort between the two and it is still arguably the best production engine ever made. Today’s news concerns another engine developed between Toyota and Yamaha, but this engine runs on hydrogen.
Yes, that’s strange. The engine is a 5.0-liter V8 designed to run on hydrogen, not gasoline. The engine developed by Yamaha began to appear as the 5.0-liter V8 found in cars like Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance, RC F and others. Then Yamaha made modifications to the injectors, cylinder head, intake manifold “and more”. For now, Yamaha doesn’t seem to want to reveal all of its secrets, but at least we know this is happening.
The power from this hydrogen-powered engine doesn’t go beyond the numbers Lexus can be achieved with old-fashioned gasoline. When running on hydrogen, Yamaha claims 455 horsepower (at 6,800 rpm) and 398 pound-feet of torque (at 3,600 rpm).
This project ends with a joint announcement made by Toyota, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Subaru and Mazda that they will “initiate discussions to undertake collaborative research to explore possible avenues to broaden the range of fuel options for internal combustion engines in search of carbon neutrality”.
Yamaha Motor President Yoshihiro Hidaka said: “The hydrogen engine has the potential to be carbon neutral while maintaining our passion for the internal combustion engine. “Partnering with companies with different corporate cultures and areas of expertise and increasing the number of partners we have is how we want to lead in the future.”
Yamaha believes that a hydrogen-powered gasoline engine is capable of keeping the fun parts of a gasoline engine alive – sound, power range, feel – all carbon neutral. The “harmonious high-frequency emissions note” from the unique 8-in-1 title is said to be one reason we’re excited about future hydrogen-powered V8s.
Takeshi Yamada from the Automotive Development Division of Yamaha’s Technical Research & Development Center said: “I’m starting to see that engines that use only hydrogen for fuel actually have very good performance characteristics. fun and easy to use. “Hydrogen engines have an innate friendly feel that makes them easy to use even without the need for electronic driver aids. Everyone who comes to test drive the prototype car will start out a little skeptical, but eventually they show up in the car with a big smile on their face. As I watched this, I began to believe that there really was great potential in properties unique to a hydrogen engine rather than simply seeing it as a substitute for gasoline. “
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