It has been said that electric vehicles (EVs) are bound to be the future of mobility. But there are still other automakers that pursue an alternative solution for producing net-zero cars. One of these is Toyota, which recently held a test run of its hydrogen technology fitted in a GR Yaris.
Toyota GR Yaris H2
This is not the first time we’ve heard about a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris, dubbed GR Yaris H2, as it was unveiled in December last year. Now, the vehicle has gone on a spin outside of Japan for the first time which was driven by Toyota Motor Corporation’s President, Akio Toyota, a.k.a. “Morizo.”
Morizo drove the hydrogen-powered GR Yaris during the ninth round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Ypres. He was driving alongside co-driver Juha Kankkunen, a Finnish driver and four-time WRC champion who won a world title with Toyota. Here’s what the Toyota President had to say about his run:
“We also had a (Toyota) Mirai (fuel cell electric vehicle) at the venue demonstrating external power supply, and I believe that, together with driving using a hydrogen engine, we were able to highlight in Europe the potential of hydrogen as an option for achieving carbon neutrality.”
From left to right: Juha Kankkunen, Akio Toyoda
The GR Yaris H2 took on the rally course in Special Stage (SS) 11 on the second day of the August 19 to 21 Ypres Rally Belgium. Challenges such as narrow farm roads are part of the 15-km SS 11, making maneuvering more difficult. But thanks to the teamwork inside the hot hatch, the vehicle completed the course without incident.
No huge mechanical changes were made under the hood of the Toyota GR Yaris. It still has the same 1.6-liter 3-cylinder G16E-GTS engine but uses hydrogen as its fuel. As compared to gasoline products, hydrogen is the more eco-friendly alternative which can help the automaker get closer to achieving carbon neutrality.
The hot hatch showcased the capabilities of hydrogen fuel
Meanwhile, Kankkunen also commented on the test run, saying, “Akio’s driving was great. And the hydrogen engine put out solid torque, making it no different from a gasoline engine.”
He added, “Because they emit zero CO2, I believe engines will become one of the options for achieving carbon neutrality not only in the world of motorsports but also in the world of everyday cars.”
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