Toyota, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha have teamed up to form the Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology (HySE) Research Association, with an aim to produce a new hydrogen-powered 1.0-litre engine as an alternative to battery-electric powertrains for passenger cars.
The HySE association will enter its first vehicle to feature the hydrogen motor, the HySE-X1, into the “Mission 1000” Challenge of the 2024 Dakar Rally, set to be held in Saudi Arabia in January.
Mission 1000 is a new part of the Dakar Future Program, an effort aimed at urging automakers to develop next-generation carbon-neutral powertrain technologies like hydrogen engines and electric or biofuel hybrids.
By entering the HySE-X1 into this competition, the association will subject its new innovation to the harshest environmental conditions in what is considered the world’s toughest motorsport, “providing an excellent opportunity to study how the hydrogen engine will perform in such conditions,” it said.
This will enable it to identify potential shortcomings with small-scale hydrogen mobility that are unknown at this stage of development, in turn accelerating the establishment of baseline hydrogen engine technology to be used in road-going passenger cars.
HySE-X1 specs
The HySE-X1 that will contest Mission 1000 is based around a chassis built by HySE partner company Overdrive Racing with a modified layout to accommodate a hydrogen fuel tank and fuel supply system.
Powering it is a liquid-cooled, 1.0-litre, four-stroke, in-line four-cylinder, supercharged engine plucked from a motorcycle that HySE is currently using in its research activities. The power and performance figures for this driveline have yet to be revealed, however.
In total, the racer stands at a rather compact 3,530mm in length, 2,070mm in width, and 1,700mm in height; and it tips the scales at 1,500kg – about the weight of an average hatchback with passengers included.
The association of automakers plans to exhibit a mockup of the HySE-X1 at the Motorsports Program booth at the Japan Mobility Show this October, with more information on the prototype and its propulsion technologies expected to be made public at the event.
Keyword: Toyota and Suzuki team up to build 1.0-litre hydrogen engine