Five Japanese manufacturers are working on carbon-neutral fuels

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Electrification is pretty well-entrenched as the next step in transport, at least in terms of power and reducing emissions. But not everyone is convinced it is the only way, and there are a number of manufacturers looking at alternatives, such as hydrogen and carbon-neutral fuels for internal combustion engines.

Toyota, Subaru and Mazda have committed to develop fuel derived from biomass, with the former two set to race a BRZ and GT86 respectively in the 2022 season of the Super Taikyu series in Japan.

The hydrogen used will come from Fukuoka City, which has been producing commercialised hydrogen since 2015.

Toyota will continue its hydrogen-powered ICE development, as well as working on carbon-neutral biofuel.

Fukuoka is producing non-CO2-increasing green hydrogen from biogas generated during sewage treatment at the Fukuoka City Chubu Water Treatment Centre and is also conducting verification tests with corporate partners, such as supplying green hydrogen to fuel cell-powered trucks, motorcycles, and power supply vehicles.

**READ MORE:

Mazda’s racing Demio will run on carbon-neutral biodiesel.

* Are hydrogen-powered vehicles a realistic path to clean energy?

* Mazda's long-rumoured RX-9 might be powered by hydrogen

One of the big hurdles with hydrogen power is that the tanks are heavy and take up a fair bit of space.

* Toyota is getting closer to road-going hydrogen-powered combustion engines

Not only will Kawasaki release electric bikes in the near future, but it will eventually give us hydrogen as an option as well.

Mazda will enter the ST-Q class of the Super Taikyu race in Okayama with a special Demio (Mazda2), running a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-D engine running on 100 per cent biomass-derived diesel fuel supplied by Euglena Co. From next year, Mazda will participate in all rounds of the endurance race throughout the season.

The ST-Q class is specifically for any car wanting to race that doesn’t belong to the other categories, like specific engine sizes or GT3/GT4 racers. The biofuel-powered Demio will race alongside the hydrogen-powered Toyota Corolla at Okayama.

“By collaborating and competing together in racing, the companies plan to accelerate the development of technologies for all options and take on the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality,” said Toyota in a release.

According to Mazda, its next-generation biodiesel fuels are made from sustainable raw materials such as microalgae fats and used cooking oil, and do not compete with the human food supply, previously an issue with biodiesel.

Because these fuels can also be used as alternatives to diesel fuel in existing vehicles and equipment without any modification, no additional fuel supply infrastructure is required.

Meanwhile, Yamaha and Kawasaki Heavy Industries will begin developing hydrogen for motorcycle and heavy industry use.

Kawasaki is conducting verification tests for transporting large-quantity, low-cost hydrogen to Japan produced from Australian lignite. By the end of the 2021 fiscal year, it plans to transport hydrogen using its in-house-constructed, first-in-the-world purpose-built liquefied hydrogen carrier, the Suiso Frontier.

It is also working on hydrogen-fuelled engines for land, sea and air applications like aircraft, ships and two-wheeled vehicles.

Yamaha will work with Kawasaki on that last one to develop hydrogen-powered bikes, with Honda and Suzuki to join them in the future. The four companies will maintain a “distinct line between cooperation and competition” by establishing a framework that defines areas of cooperation and collaborative research.

There weren’t any timeframes given in terms of when we could see a hydrogen-powered Ninja sports bike, so assume they are still a fair while away.