Toyota's new engine promises to be a great alternative to electric cars. Multinational is working on an ammonia engine in partnership with the Chinese GAC Motor.
Alternative to electric cars: Toyota has continually stated that the The future will not just be about electric cars. Although the company will continue to launch some battery-powered models on the market next year, it is still exploring other forms of energy. Currently, Chinese state-owned manufacturer GAC Motor, which is half-owned by Toyota, has developed the first ammonia engine for passenger vehicles. Check out the details of Toyota's new engine!
Understand how Toyota's new ammonia engine works
An Ammonia engine is basically a category of internal combustion engine that uses ammonia as a fuel source, composed of one nitrogen atom and three nitrogen atoms. hydrogen. What sets ammonia apart is its lack of carbon atoms, resulting in no CO2 emissions during combustion, unlike conventional gas or oil fuels.
This feature positions the ammonia engine as a promising solution to reduce pollution in the future, as well as being an alternative to electric cars. There are several approaches to making ammonia engines effective, one method involves breaking down ammonia into its constituents: hydrogen and nitrogen.
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The extracted nitrogen is then used in a fuel cell to generate electrical energy. Notably, a startup called Emoji demonstrated this technique with the John Deere tractor claiming to be the world's first ammonia-powered zero-emission tractor.
An alternative approach involves mixing ammonia with other fuels such as diesel, gas or hydrogen, before lighting them together. This mixture facilitates easier ignition and sustained combustion. A MAN Energy Solutions applied this method to the development of a two-stroke ammonia engine built for marine purposes.
What are the advantages of Toyota's new engine?
The potential of the ammonia engine holds great promise for the future, being a alternative to electric cars. One of the main advantages of these engines is the high energy density of the fuel.
This term refers to the substantial amount of energy that can be contained in a given volume of ammonia, this characteristic is crucial for the efficient storage and transport of energy, making ammonia engines suitable for applications where high energy density is a factor. crucial. This includes sectors such as transport and power generation, where effective storage and utilization of electricity is essential.
Another advantage arises from the wide availability of ammonia. Its production can be obtained from various elements, notably hydrogen and nitrogen, which are abundant on Earth. This affordability further reinforces the viability of Toyota's new engine as a sustainable energy solution.
Toyota signs partnership with GAC
Given these benefits, Toyota took significant steps, forming a partnership with GAC Motors and, together, presented a prototype engine that operates by burning liquid ammonia in a seemingly innovative feat.
The company claims its two-liter four-cylinder engine is capable of producing 161 horsepower while reducing carbon emissions by a whopping 90%.
Such an important achievement has significant implications for the future of automotive design and environmental conservation. Toyota highlights that the development journey was full of challenges, where the team had to overcome several obstacles.
These obstacles, while formidable, highlight the dedication and innovation focused on making this ammonia engine a reality. Perhaps one of the most notable achievements of this project was overcoming the challenges inherent in burning ammonia quickly and efficiently.