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Using the “Hydrogen GR Corolla Race Car (GR Corolla H2 concept)”, Toyota has begun to take on the challenge of a new technology that “captures CO2 the more you drive.”

Toyota’s unique initiative, different from the traditional transition to electric vehicles: Absorbing carbon dioxide with an on-board filter

Toyota is taking a cautious stance in replacing all its vehicle models with electric vehicles. Meanwhile, we are actively developing innovative technologies to reduce our impact on the environment, one of which is carbon-absorbing cars. This car absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with a filter installed in the car body, and converts the carbon dioxide into liquid using waste heat from the engine. This liquid can then be discarded. Toyota is developing a carbon dioxide absorption filter that can be integrated into the front of a vehicle. This technology is currently being tested in the hydrogen-burning GR Corolla race car.

Going beyond carbon neutral to carbon negative

According to Toyota, early tests suggest this innovation could make cars carbon negative instead of just carbon neutral.

• Just by driving a car, it absorbs carbon dioxide and reduces the burden on the environment.
• Can be installed not only in electric cars but also in conventional gasoline cars
• No additional power required

In other words, if this technology is put into practical use, it has the potential to significantly reduce the burden on the environment.

No electricity required, use of waste heat reduces environmental impact

The advantage of this technology is that it requires no power to operate. A circular filter at the front of the car captures carbon dioxide and uses waste heat from the engine to dissolve it into a liquid that can be disposed of. This means that this technology could be applied not only to hydrogen engines, but also to conventional gasoline engines.

Toyota’s challenge will change the future of automobiles

Toyota’s carbon dioxide absorption vehicle technology has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of automobiles. We have high expectations for future development and practical application. If this technology is put into practical use, it will be possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact of automobiles, potentially contributing significantly to global environmental protection.

Toyota’s hydrogen engine technology development efforts

We are working on the technological development of “hydrogen engine ( HYDROGEN DRIVE ) ” in order to realize a carbon-neutral mobility society . When you hear the word “hydrogen” , many people may think of the ” MIRAI ” , which is an FCV (fuel cell vehicle), but the “hydrogen engine” is an internal combustion engine system that uses hydrogen as fuel instead of gasoline. It is. “FCV” also uses “hydrogen”, but this one uses hydrogen to generate electricity and is driven by a motor. A commercial application for “ HYDROGEN DRIVE ” was filed with the Japanese Patent Office on February 9, 2021. Commercial application 2021-15419.

A competition vehicle based on the Corolla Sport is equipped with a hydrogen engine, and from the “Super Taikyu Series 2021 Powered by Hankook Round 3 NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hour Race” held from May 21 to 23, 2021, ” Introduced as a participating vehicle in “ORC ROOKIE Racing”. He completed the race.

Summary of power lane types

While talking about hydrogen engines, I have summarized the types of power lanes currently used in automobiles.

kinds	specification
gasoline engine	Run the engine using gasoline.
diesel engine	Run the engine using light oil.
Electric vehicle (EV)	Power a motor using electricity.
Hybrid (HV)	Gasoline is used to run the engine, which generates electricity and also powers the motor.
Fuel cell vehicle (FCV)	Power the motor using hydrogen.
hydrogen engine	Power the engine using hydrogen.

The need for hydrogen engines

Hydrogen engines do not use fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel oil, and emit zero exhaust gases, using only water. Overseas, there has already been a shift to “electric vehicles (EVs)” that do not use internal combustion engines, and in his policy speech at the regular Diet session on January 18, 2021, Prime Minister Suga talked about the electrification of domestically sold vehicles. The company aims to achieve 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035. Automobile manufacturers are urgently developing and selling zero-emission vehicles such as electric vehicles. Furthermore, on October 26, 2020, Prime Minister Suga declared in his speech at an extraordinary Diet session that he “aims to realize a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society in 2050.” Approximately 10,000 parts will be produced by many small and medium-sized enterprises, which will affect employment. Mr. Akio Toyoda said, “There are 5.5 million people working in automobile-related companies in Japan, and if all cars in the world become EVs, 1 million people will lose their jobs.” Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a path toward neutrality?” So we turned our attention to “hydrogen engines.” The idea is that by disseminating a system that uses the internal combustion engine technology that Toyota has cultivated up until now and does not use fossil fuels, it will be possible to create jobs and inherit Toyota’s technology that is competitive with other companies . Furthermore , since it can be produced at a lower cost than an “FCV”, the vehicle price can also be lowered.

From now on, I would like you to think that this is just my opinion, but there is another hidden reason why electric vehicles (EVs) are so popular overseas. By being able to create new products, new companies and IT-related companies will be able to enter the automobile industry. Since Japanese cars cannot compete with the superior performance of internal combustion engines, other companies are focusing on electric vehicles and are hoping to popularize EV engines to protect against exhaust gas and global warming. Toyota is, if anything, lagging behind when it comes to electric vehicles, and many companies may see an opportunity to win. Of course, Toyota has not remained silent in response to the global shift to electric vehicles (EVs), and has recently begun actively moving toward mass production of electric vehicle concept models.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen engines?

The advantage of hydrogen engines is that hydrogen burns faster and has better response than gasoline. It not only has excellent environmental performance, but also has the potential to realize the “fun of driving a car,” including the sounds and vibrations inherent in cars . The price can be lower than electric vehicles and FCVs. The disadvantage is that due to abnormal combustion due to the speed of combustion, the engine can be damaged by ignition before the spark plug can emit a spark. Fuel consumption. Lack of hydrogen stations. Expensive due to transportation costs.

toyo times

https://toyotatimes.jp/report/hpe_challenge_2023/011.html