As it seeks alternatives to a purely electric future for mobility, Japan has greenlit the creation of a hydrogen fuel research association, uniting four of the country’s leading automotive players – Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. The four brands have come together to form Hydrogen Small Mobility & Engine Technology (HySE), a technical powerhouse that will specifically work on hydrogen combustion engines for small vehicles, such as two-wheelers and last-mile mobility solutions. With the prospect of full electrification looming large and casting a shadow of uncertainty over jobs in the country’s automotive industry, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has approved the creation of HySE to accelerate research on hydrogen in the hope of establishing it as a genuine alternative to battery power.
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As per the roles defined for each manufacturer in HySE, Honda has been tasked with the ‘model-based development’ of hydrogen-powered engines, which will entail designing the hardware as well as the software of such engines and the vehicles they will power. Suzuki, meanwhile, will conduct studies on the functionality, performance, and reliability aspects of these engines.
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Kawasaki has previously showcased a hydrogen-powered prototype motorcycle using a modified H2 engine.
Fleshing out the requirements for a hydrogen refuelling system and hydrogen tanks for small vehicles is Yamaha’s priority, while Kawasaki will lead the development of auxiliary equipment required for a fuel supply system and tanks, as well as the equipment installed between the fuel tank and the injector. Yamaha and Kawasaki will also come together to study the functionality, performance, and reliability of small hydrogen-powered engines in real-world conditions.
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Commenting on the announcement, Kenji Komatsu, Chairman nominee of HySE and Executive Officer of Technical Research & Development Center, Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., said, “We are extremely pleased to announce the planned formation of the association. There are many challenges in the development of hydrogen-powered engines, but we hope to see the association’s activities advance the fundamental research in order to meet those challenges. We are committed to this endeavour with a sense of mission to preserve the use of internal combustion engines, which epitomise the long-time efforts that our predecessors have invested.”
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However, the association is acutely aware of the technical challenges associated with using hydrogen as a fuel for small vehicles. Some of the obvious hurdles include the fast flame speed of hydrogen, as well as its large region of ignition, which results in unstable combustion. There’s also the issue of storage, and the limited fuel tank capacity available on smaller vehicles in general. HySE is hopeful the expertise and tech developed by its members for gasoline-powered engines over decades will be instrumental in achieving a breakthrough and make hydrogen-powered engines feasible for small vehicles in the future.
Kawasaki showcased a novel canister-based hydrogen storage solution for motorcycles.
As part of a larger push from the Japanese auto industry, car giant Toyota will leverage HySE’s research and developmental work to make further inroads into making hydrogen combustion engines feasible for cars and SUVs.
So far, there have been no meaningful developments relating to hydrogen-powered engines for road-going vehicles. Honda and Toyota have experience with hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), but have never put a vehicle with a hydrogen combustion engine into production. Kawasaki has previously showcased a hydrogen-powered motorcycle prototype (using a modified Ninja H2 engine) as well as a novel canister-based hydrogen fuel storage solution for motorcycles.
For the last few years, Toyota has trialled hydrogen combustion engines in domestic motorsport competitions, and has tried to highlight the need for alternative zero-emissions solutions by pointing out how millions of jobs would be lost in the country if all vehicle manufacturers made a complete shift to battery electric vehicles.
