Toyota continues to develop hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine technology through the lens of motorsport, but now it has revealed its most road-going concept.
The Concept Toyota Corolla Cross H2 largely looks like a regular garland of crosses SUV but with the powertrain of a race car.
The race car in question is the hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2 which has competed in the Super Taikyu endurance series in Japan since May 2021 by Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Rookie Racing division.
The powertrain is also used in a Concept GR Yaris competed in a run a special show during the ninth round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Ypres, Belgium in August of this year.
Although this Corolla Cross H2 concept uses the same fuel source as Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), the two are different.
The Mirai FCEV uses a chemical reaction in a fuel cell to generate energy and is therefore an electric vehicle, while the Corolla Cross H2 concept has an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen as a fuel.
Powering the hydrogen-powered Corolla Cross concept is a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline three-cylinder engine ‘G16E-GTS’ that’s very similar to a gasoline engine Yaris GR and Corolla GR but has a modified fuel injection and supply system for a hydrogen fuel source.
This concept also has the same feature high pressure hydrogen storage tank and refueling process like Mirai.
Toyota has not revealed the capacity or torque of the Corolla Cross H2 concept, nor has it mentioned how fast it can accelerate from 0-100 km / h.
Toyota has been developing hydrogen combustion engine technology since 2017 and thanks in part to its participation in the Super Taikyu endurance race series with GR Corolla H2 driver, it claims a 24% increase in hydrogen combustion power and a… Torque increased by 33%. making it on par with a conventional gasoline engine.
Range has also been extended by about 30 percent and refueling time has been reduced by 5 minutes to 1 and a half minutes.
The Japanese automaker doesn’t seem to have a racing pedigree in mind with this Corolla Cross H2 concept, as it was developed to showcase that hydrogen combustion technology can transport five people and their luggage.
Toyota says the Corolla Cross H2 concept will soon be tested in winter in northern Japan, with digital development underway.
The Japanese automaker claims it is now 40% on the road to commercializing vehicles like the Corolla Cross H2 concept.
It believes it is not yet possible to say whether the technology will reach maturity for cars on the road, but has a clear future for it in motorsport.
Toyota says the key advantages of hydrogen combustion technology include the ability to take advantage of existing internal combustion engine technologies, fast refueling times, reduced use and the need for elements such as lithium. and nickel.
Only a few automakers are currently exploring hydrogen combustion engine technologies, including high mountain and Gac fruit.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe in an interview with auto news the begin of the year rejects Toyota’s plan for a hydrogen fuel-powered internal combustion enginesay it won’t become mainstream.
The company just announced that it will build a plug-in hydrogen fuel cell variant of the new generation CR-V in the US from 2024.
Instead of focusing exclusively on electric vehicles (EVs), Toyota is now offering, exploring and developing a wide range of hybrid, battery-electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. (FCEVS) and hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles.
UK car manufacturer arm said this week it will create prototypes of the Toyota HiLux car with a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain (FCEV) and aims to bring the zero-exhaust vehicle into small-scale production.
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