Subaru Corporation (Subaru), Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), and Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) have each committed to developing new engines tailored to electrification and the pursuit of carbon neutrality. With these engines, each of the three companies will aim to optimize integration with motors, batteries, and other electric drive units. While transforming vehicle packaging with more compact engines, these efforts will also decarbonize ICEs by making them compatible with various carbon-neutral (CN) fuels(1).
Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda have always been driven by a deep understanding of their customers’ diverse lifestyles. This understanding has led the three companies to develop signature engines(2) that not only represent their respective brands but also cater to their customers’ unique needs and preferences.
In pursuing decarbonization, all three companies have focused on carbon as the enemy and sought to expand options by acting with passion and purpose. This mindset has driven efforts to ensure a future for the supply chains and jobs that underpin engines. Under the extreme conditions of racing, the companies have worked to broaden powertrain and fuel options by competing with vehicles running on liquid hydrogen and CN fuels.
This process has clarified the role that future engines will play in achieving carbon neutrality. With the next generation of engines, the three companies will seek to not only improve standalone engine performance but also optimize their integration with electric drive units, harnessing the advantages of each.
While being highly efficient and powerful, the new engines will also revolutionize vehicle packaging by being more compact than existing models. Smaller engines will allow for even lower hoods, improving design possibilities and aerodynamic performance while contributing to better fuel efficiency. The development will also emphasize compliance with increasingly strict emissions regulations.
At the same time, the new engines will be made carbon neutral by shifting away from fossil fuels and offering compatibility with various alternatives, including e-fuel (synthetic fuel), biofuels, and liquid hydrogen. In doing so, these engines will contribute to the broader adoption of CN fuels.
Upon this announcement, the CEOs of the three companies made the following comments:”Achieving a carbon-neutral society is a challenge that must be undertaken by all of Japan’s industries and society as a whole. As we continue to refine electrification technology, we will also enhance our horizontally-opposed engines with an aim to use carbon-neutral fuels in the future. Moving forward, the three companies sharing the same aspiration will continue to advance the pursuit of sustainable excellence in Japanese car manufacturing.”(Atsushi Osaki, Representative Director, President and CEO, Subaru Corporation)
“In order to provide our customers with diverse options to achieve carbon neutrality, it is necessary to take on the challenge of evolving engines that are in tune with the energy environment of the future. The three companies, which share the same aspirations, will refine engine technologies through friendly competition.”(Koji Sato, President, Member of the Board of Directors and CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation)
“We will continue to offer customers exciting cars by honing internal combustion engines for the electrification era and expanding the multi-pathway possibilities for achieving carbon neutrality. Given the rotary engine’s compatibility with electrification and carbon-neutral fuels, Mazda will continue to develop the technology through co-creation and competition to ensure it can contribute broadly to society.”(Masahiro Moro, Representative Director, President and CEO, Mazda Motor Corporation)
Even as Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda compete in the product arena with unique engines and cars, the companies have a shared dedication to achieving carbon neutrality through a multi-pathway approach. Together with like-minded partners similarly skilled and passionate about engines, they will work to create the future of Japan’s auto industry.
(1) Fuels with net zero CO2 emissions into the atmosphere across their lifecycle, from manufacture to use. These include e-fuel, made from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and biofuels derived from biomass (plants, etc.). (2) Each company’s iconic enginesSubaruHorizontally-opposed engine. Pistons move horizontally, resulting in a low-profile engine with less vibration & lower center of gravity.ToyotaInline-four engine. Achieves both high output and high thermal efficiency.MazdaRotary engine. Compact and lightweight, yet powerful. Currently used for generators.
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) will enter the ENEOS Super Taikyu Series 2024 Empowered by BRIDGESTONE Round 2 NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hours Race, to be held from May 24 to 26, with the #32 ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 Concept, a hydrogen-powered GR Corolla running on liquid hydrogen.
Toyota will continue to refine cars and people in the challenging world of motorsports and evolve together with its partners to achieve carbon neutrality.
Liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla
Further evolution of the liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla
(1) Improved durability of liquid hydrogen pump
The durability of the pump, which boosts the pressure of liquid hydrogen before sending it to the engine, has been greatly improved in the hopes of completing the 24 Hours Race without the need for replacement. The pump was replaced twice during last year’s 24 Hours Race.
The liquid hydrogen-powered engine generates power by injecting hydrogen, the fuel, directly into the engine for combustion. The liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla uses a reciprocating pump that pumps the fuel, converted to a gas inside the car, through the reciprocating motion of a piston when transferring hydrogen from the fuel tank to the engine. Because of the high pressure range this pump generates, the bearings which allow smooth rotation of the shaft and gears on one side of the crank, which transfers torque to the motor by converting reciprocating motion into rotational motion, were unevenly loaded, causing them to wear out and degrade quickly.
This time, a dual-drive crank mechanism has been implemented to improve the pump’s durability. The application of motor torque from both ends of the crank enables the boosting piston to move in a well-balanced manner, thereby significantly increasing pump durability.
(2) Improved cruising range with a custom-shaped tank
The shape of the liquid hydrogen tank mounted to the vehicle has been changed from a cylindrical shape to a custom oval shape, increasing the amount of liquid hydrogen that can be carried and extending the cruising range.
Cylindrical tanks are used for gaseous hydrogen fuel to evenly distribute high pressure, but since liquid hydrogen is lower pressure than gaseous hydrogen, custom-shaped tanks are possible. For this race, the tank has been changed to an oval to make more efficient use of cabin space. As a result, the tank has a capacity 1.5 times higher than that of the cylindrical tank. This doubles the hydrogen volume, and thus cruising range, over the 70 MPa compressed gaseous hydrogen tanks used until 2022.
(3) Automated CO2 capture device process changeover
CO2 capture technology uses the large-volume air intake and heat generated by internal combustion engines to capture CO2 from the atmosphere through a CO2 capture device installed in the engine compartment.
More specifically, a CO2 absorption device is installed at the inlet to the air cleaner, and a CO2 separation device that uses heat from engine oil is installed next to the air cleaner. The separated CO2 is then captured in a small tank filled with an absorbent.
In the final round of the Fuji race in 2023, mechanics manually switched the CO2 absorption and separation processes. However, this time, a mechanism was implemented that automatically switches them by slowly rotating the CO2 absorption filter while driving.
Driver lineup
Masahiko Kondo, director of SUPER GT and Super Formula racing in Japan and the chairman of JRP, which manages Super Formula, and TGR-WRT team principal Jari-Matti Latvala will compete in the Fuji 24 Hours Race. They will join Morizo and other drivers in tackling new challenges in the liquid hydrogen-powered Corolla.
Toyota Times Sports will once again broadcast live in 2024!
Toyota Times Sports will broadcast live from Fuji Speedway for 24 hours from 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 25.
This broadcast will include coverage of the race, live driver appearances, pit stops, and more.
Even if you can’t make it to the venue, cheer on the race together with Toyota Times!We’ll be looking forward to your comments in the chat. https://youtube.com/live/4kTUduc00jc?feature=share
Toyota Times Sports articles archive. https://toyotatimes.jp/sports/
For the full press release, visit https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/40849748.html.
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced the addition of the “250” series to the Land Cruiser lineup in Japan. Alongside this, it has also released the special edition models ZX “First Edition” and VX “First Edition.” These special models are limited to a total of 8,000 units.
ZX (2.8-liter diesel)
ZX (2.8-liter diesel)The “250” series, the core model of the Land Cruiser lineup
The all-new “250” series was created with the role and mission of supporting people’s lives by offering ease of handling based on strong off-road performance.
The development team set out to return the Land Cruiser Prado, which shifted toward high-end and luxury over time, to the light-duty model that customers have come to expect. Under the keyword “back to the basics,” they defined the development concept as “The Land Cruiser: a vehicle that supports customers’ daily lives and one they can trust.”
The introduction of the “250” series has further clarified the position of the three Land Cruiser models. The vehicle names have also returned to their roots, with all models unified under “Land Cruiser”(1). The Land Cruiser will continue to evolve to meet societal demands while supporting the lives of customers around the world, and remaining a vehicle they can trust.
Role of the Land Cruiser
With the same robust GA-F platform as the “300” series, the “250” series has pursued exceptional off-road performance. It is the first(2) in the Land Cruiser lineup to feature electric power steering (EPS) and Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism (SDM). EPS reduces kickback(3) during off-road driving, ensuring ease of handling whether on or off-road, while the SDM enables the front stabilizer state to be locked or unlocked at the touch of a button, delivering driving performance and ride comfort when off-road and handling stability when on-road.
The “250” series is available with two types of powertrains: a 2.8-liter direct injection turbo diesel engine with Direct Shift-8AT and a 2.7-liter gasoline engine with 6 Super ECT, both delivering powerful driving and environmental performance. This power is fully transferred to all four wheels by a full-time 4WD with TORSEN®(4) LSD(5) on the center differential. The electric rear differential lock provides powerful off-road driving performance on rough roads, while the degree of freedom in front and rear driving torque distribution has been expanded to achieve even greater driving stability.
(1) The “70” series wagon models from 1990 were newly marketed as the Land Cruiser Prado; since then, the Land Cruiser lineup has had two vehicle names: Land Cruiser and Land Cruiser Prado (2) As of April 2024; based on in-house research (3) A phenomenon in which the vehicle’s tires are forcibly turned due to terrain or obstacles when driving off-road, causing the steering wheel to turn sharply by itself (4) Registered trademark of JTEKT Corporation (5) Limited Slip Differential
For more information, visit https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/toyota/40658942.html.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will aim to conquer the challenging asphalt roads of the Croatia Rally once more at round four of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship on April 18-21.
2024 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID
Since Croatia first joined the WRC schedule three years ago, TGR-WRT has tasted victory with three different drivers in as many editions. Two of those drivers return as part of its line-up for this year’s event, with the 2021 winner Sébastien Ogier to make his second start of the season alongside 2023 victor Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, who has a trio of top-six finishes under his belt in Croatia.
After achieving a record-extending victory on Safari Rally Kenya, TGR-WRT leads the manufacturers’ championship by four points while Evans leads its challenge in the drivers’ championship, just six points from the leader.
The rally continues to be based in the Croatian capital Zagreb – although the service park this year moves to a new location at the Westgate shopping mall to the north-west of the city centre. The stages take place across the north of the country, close to neighbouring Slovenia, on roads that feature a wide variety of different asphalt types. This means that grip levels are constantly changing, which can be further complicated by rain and mud. Some sections are technical and twisting, while many others are fast and flowing with jumps and crests.
After a shakedown and ceremonial start on Thursday, the rally begins on Friday with its longest day. Four stages take the rally south-west from Zagreb towards the coastal city of Rijeka, which hosts a lunchtime regroup. After a tyre-fitting zone, the same four stages will be tackled in reverse order in the afternoon on the way back to Zagreb.
Saturday runs to a more typical format, with a loop of four stages to the west and south of Zagreb to be run twice either side of mid-day service. As usual, Sunday’s finale takes place to the north of Zagreb where a pair of stages will be run twice, with Zagorska Sela – Kumrovec once more hosting the rally-ending Power Stage.
Four GR Yaris Rally2 cars are entered in Croatia, with Sami Pajari (Printsport) and Georg Linnamäe (RedGrey Team) joined by the TGR WRC Challenge Program duo of Yuki Yamamoto and Hikaru Kogure, who are registered to compete for WRC2 points.
For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2024/rd04-preview/.
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu) have announced their decision to reform the overseas business structure of both companies while aiming to make Daihatsu a “mobility company centered on mini vehicles” going forward. An implementation structure will be established to thoroughly prevent the recurrence of procedural irregularities at Daihatsu, in line with Daihatsu’s resources and actual conditions, aiming to make ever-better cars and realize a mobility society by leveraging Daihatsu’s strengths. Specifically, the Emerging-market Compact Car Company, which spanned the organizations of both Toyota and Daihatsu until now, will be dissolved. Toyota will take responsibility for overseas businesses from development to certification, and Daihatsu will be commissioned to handle the actual development. This change will be made sequentially, following model changeover schedules.
Overview of the changes
– Shifting the product planning function from the Emerging-market Compact Car Company spanning Toyota and Daihatsu to the Toyota Compact Car Company. As Toyota Compact Car Company will be the contractor of Daihatsu, Toyota will be responsible for the entire process from development to certification. – Transferring the business and product management function to the Business & Sales Unit of Toyota – Other areas related to subcontracting, including resource management and optimization, will also be reported to Toyota to strengthen the partnership.
Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TDEM) and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. (TMAP) will become the Asia Regional Headquarters, belonging to the Asia Region of Toyota, and be renamed “Toyota Motor Asia (TMA).” Based on the upcoming structural change, we aim to make the two companies in the Asia region more self-reliant and increase their collaboration.
