Honda joins Toyota in hydrogen engine research program

The Toyota-led push to use hydrogen combustion as a path to carbon neutrality is backed by rivals such as Honda and Suzuki, according to foreign media reports. A group of Japanese minicar and motorcycle makers has launched a new nationwide campaign to promote hydrogen combustion technology.

Honda Motor Co and Suzuki Motor Co will join Kawasaki Motor Co and Yamaha Motor Co in developing hydrogen-burning engines for "small mobility," a category they said includes minicars, motorcycles, boats, construction equipment and drones.

Toyota Motor Corp. 's clean powertrain strategy, announced Wednesday, is breathing new life into it. Toyota is largely alone in clean powertrain technology.

Since 2021, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda has positioned hydrogen combustion as a way to become carbon neutral. Japan's biggest carmaker has been developing hydrogen-burning engines and putting them into racing cars. Akio Toyoda is expected to drive a hydrogen engine in an endurance race at Fuji Motor Speedway this month.

As recently as 2021, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe was dismissive of the potential of hydrogen engines. Honda studied the technology but didn't think it would work in cars, he said.

Now Honda seems to be adjusting its pace.

Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha said in a joint statement they would form a new research association called HySE, short for Hydrogen Small Mobility and Engine Technology. Toyota will serve as an affiliate member of the panel, drawing on its research on larger vehicles.

"Research and development of hydrogen-powered vehicles, which are considered the next generation of energy, is accelerating," they said.

The partners will pool their expertise and resources to "jointly establish design standards for hydrogen-powered engines for small motor vehicles."

All four are major motorcycle manufacturers, as well as manufacturers of Marine engines used in vessels such as boats and motorboats. But Honda and Suzuki are also top makers of popular subcompact cars unique to Japan, which account for nearly 40 per cent of the domestic four-wheeler market.

The new drivetrain is not hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Instead, the proposed power system relies on internal combustion, burning hydrogen instead of gasoline. The potential benefit is close to zero carbon dioxide emissions.

While boasting of the potential, the new partners acknowledge the huge challenges.

Hydrogen combustion speed is fast, ignition area is wide, often lead to combustion instability. And fuel storage capacity is limited, especially in small vehicles.

"To address these issues," the group said, "HySE's members are committed to conducting basic research, leveraging their vast expertise and technology in developing gasoline-powered engines, and working collaboratively."