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Recently, it would be hard to believe that automakers would continue investing in new combustion engines. Thus, with the wave of electrification promising the extinction of these powertrains, the announcement that Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru are developing a new generation of engines is surprising.
However, for experts, this initiative makes sense, as a future combining combustion engines with electric propulsion, the so-called hybridization, is in sight. This is because total electrification has proven to be less viable than many futurists predicted.
In this sense, while some manufacturers have fully surrendered to electrification, others, such as Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru, demonstrate resistance, betting on hybrids that do not require electric charging to operate.
The Advantages of Hybrid Engines
Hybrid vehicles offer many advantages, the main one being the ability to operate without the need for charging, both for conventional hybrids and for plug-ins. The latter have batteries that can be recharged from an outlet, but can run solely on the combustion engine if needed.
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With a 1.0 turbo engine producing 116 hp, the Volkswagen Polo Highline joins the club of the cheapest cars in Brazil with a discount of R$ 18,000 in the PcD version.
Today, the three companies mentioned are focused on using renewable fuels and neutralizing carbon in all stages of production, a challenge that many electric vehicles face. Toyota, for example, is already known for investing in various mobility solutions, exploring both electric and hybrid options.
New Projects and Technologies
The announcement of the partnership between Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru, although made some time ago, has gained details recently, with the manufacturers presenting prototypes of the new engines and plans aligned with their traditions.
Currently, Toyota is investing in new four-cylinder engines, Mazda is returning to rotary engines (Wankel), and Subaru continues with its boxer engine with horizontally opposed cylinders.
These new combustion engines are not mere evolutions of existing models but rather revolutionary.
All of them will be hybridized, combining advanced technologies for greater efficiency and lower emissions. According to data from Toyota, about 70% of vehicles with combustion engines will remain in use until 2030.
The Experts’ View
In an interview with the portal “UOL,” Cleber Willian Gomes, who is a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Fundação Educacional Inaciana (FEI), states that the evolution of combustion engines is continuous, with innovations that are crucial for greater energy efficiency, pollution reduction, and increased performance.
In this sense, he highlights the use of electronic systems and artificial intelligence in engine management, along with other technologies such as direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, turbochargers, and nanotechnology materials.
The New Engines from Toyota
Toyota is the only one of the three companies mentioned in the article that is established in Brazil. According to the portal “UOL,” the company is developing two new engines: one 1.5 (naturally aspirated or turbo) and one 2.0. The new 1.5 three-cylinder engine is expected to be adopted in the country in the new Yaris Cross, promising greater fuel efficiency and power.
For Toyota, the development of these engines is justified due to the rigorous emission laws anticipated for Europe and the United States, which would require significant reductions in power and the adoption of expensive catalysts.
Thus, the new 2.0 turbo engine, which will replace the current 2.4 turbo, will offer 30% more performance and 10% less volume, being associated with hybrid systems.
These engines, which will operate on both fossil fuels and carbon-neutral alternatives, are expected to arrive in Brazil in the near future, driven by the federal government’s Mover program, which encourages the production of more efficient and less polluting vehicles.
Subaru and the New Boxer
Subaru, famous for its boxer engines with opposing cylinders, has developed the new generation e-boxer, a four-cylinder hybrid that works in conjunction with a system of two electric motors. This arrangement offers three modes of operation, combining the combustion engine and the electric ones to optimize efficiency and performance.
The production of the new e-boxer will start at the new Kitamoto factory in Japan in September. Subaru maintains the tradition of all-wheel drive, with the new hybrid system ensuring that the rear axle is always operational.
Mazda and the Wankel Engine
Mazda, known for its eccentricity, resumes the development of the Wankel engine, a rotary engine with a compact and lightweight design. This engine, now omnivorous, can run on a variety of fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, vegetable diesel, synthetic fuel, methane, and hydrogen.
Ichiro Hirose, director and head of technology at Mazda, states that the new rotary engine is a bet to turn its uniqueness into an advantage, meeting the new environmental regulations with the help of hybridization.
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