On May 21-23, a hydrogen Toyota Corolla Sport will participate in Round 3 of Japan’s Super Taikyu series for a 24-hour enduro race at Fuji Speedway.
We would not write about races that are interesting to a narrow circle of motor enthusiasts, if not one peculiarity: Toyota has developed a hydrogen-fueled turbocharged engine for its Toyota Corolla Sport race car.
Remarkably, the model is not a traditional hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, like the Hyundai Nexo or Toyota Mirai. The engine it uses is the internal combustion inline 3-cylinder one burning hydrogen instead of gasoline.
Toyota says the engine emits zero CO2, feels and sounds like a usual ICE. But it is more responsive because the combustion of hydrogen fuel is quicker.
The Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in Namie will generate the fuel for the engine. It is made of renewable sources. Thus, while other automakers are in no hurry to use hydrogen technologies, Toyota actively develops them.
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