Toyota pulls a striking technical sign from the top hat. We are introduced to the GR Yaris Hydrogen, a horny three-door Yaris with hydrogen technology on board. Striking: the GR Yaris Hydrogen is not electrically powered!
We know the GR Yaris as an extraordinary four-wheel drive compact hot hatch with a 1.6 three-cylinder engine that has been raised to 261 hp. Remarkably enough, that sniffed machine is also in this experimental GR Yaris Hydrogen. Unlike the Mirai from which it borrowed its fuel tanks, the GR Yaris Hydrogen does not feature fuel cell technology.
Toyota Yaris
In the GR Yaris Hydrogen, the horny 1.6 is able to use hydrogen directly as fuel. Hydrogen is therefore not converted in a fuel cell into electricity for the electric powertrain as in the Mirai. How do we know this technique? Indeed, of a special racing version of the Corolla making its rounds in the Japanese Super Taikyu class. Toyota has hardly adjusted the 1.6, but has of course revised the fuel supply and injection system.
The big advantage of hydrogen as a fuel? Hydrogen burns faster than petrol, with positive consequences for the responsiveness of the powertrain. In addition, hydrogen ensures cleaner combustion than petrol. The GR Yaris Hydrogen will not go into production for the time being, but it is solid proof that Toyota is committed to developing hydrogen technology that goes further than its application in electric cars with a fuel cell.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl