The quest for carbon neutrality continues, as six companies led by Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation join forces to develop alternative fuels that current combustion engines can use.
Toyota believes there's more than one road towards sustainability
Both automakers are joined by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., Japanese petroleum company ENEOS Corporation, and trading firm Toyota Tsusho Corporation. Together, they have established the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automotive Fuels.
According to a statement issued by the consortium, the objective is to undertake technological research on the use of biomass. The efficient production of bioethanol fuel for vehicles by optimizing the circulation of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide as a result of the production process will also be studied.
The partnership wants to maximize the yield from biomass production without compromising food security
A system for optimal cultivation will also be developed, to maximize yield and maximize the needed crops that serve as raw materials for bioethanol fuels. The association wants to improve production technology for second-generation bioethanol fuels in a way that will not compete with food supplies.
Koichi Nakata, head of Toyota’s Carbon Neutral Development Division, serves as the consortium’s Chairman of the Board. It will have its headquarters at the Fukushima Okuma Incubation Center in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
Toyota has been very vocal about securing the internal combustion engine’s future despite the ongoing trend of electrification across the entire automotive industry.
Toyota is still very much on board with its hydrogen fuel cell program
The automaker did not sign a pledge at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference to phase out fossil fuel cars by 2040, arguing that the global market may not be ready for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) yet. It continues to pursue its hydrogen fuel cell program, even as it previewed 15 new BEVs in December 2021 spanning the mainline Toyota and luxury Lexus brands.
Toyota earlier entered into a partnership with Subaru, Mazda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha to develop carbon-neutral fuel options, beginning with applications in motorsport.
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