Toyota, Mazda, Subaru commit to next-generation ICE development, multi-pathways to carbon neutrality
All in on EVs, ICE is dead. Legacy carmakers who believed in that and went all in on electric might not be so confident now, and some have even made U-turns, as demand for EVs aren’t catching up with the supply. Meanwhile, someone must be looking pretty smug in his corner, probably muttering ‘I told you so’ in Japanese.
Toyota is once again striking the same tone, but is now joined with Subaru and Mazda. The three carmakers have each committed to developing new internal combustion engines tailored to electrification and the pursuit of carbon neutrality.
“With these engines, each company will aim to optimise integration with motors, batteries and other electric drive units. While transforming vehicle packaging with more compact engines, these efforts will also decarbonise ICEs by making them compatible with various carbon-neutral (CN) fuels,” the companies said. The opposite of fossil fuel, CN fuels include e-fuel (synthetic fuel), biofuels and liquid hydrogen.
“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 that not only represent their respective brands but also cater to their customers’ unique needs and preferences,” they added. Car guys, continue reading, because there’s good news for you.
The press release mentioned ‘carbon as the enemy’ and ‘efforts to ensure a future for the supply chains and jobs that underpin engines’. These points have been stressed before by former Toyota president/CEO, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) ex-chairman and lifelong petrolhead Akio Toyoda, which you can read in full here.
Also mentioned are the broadening of powertrain and fuel options such as liquid hydrogen and CN fuels, tested under the extreme conditions of racing. Have you heard of a hydrogen combustion engine? We’re not talking about fuel cell EVs, but ICE adapted to use hydrogen as fuel – check out this Toyota GR Yaris that doesn’t use petrol, driven by Rowan Atkinson a.k.a. Mr Bean.
“With the next generation of engines, the three companies will seek to not only improve standalone engine performance but also optimise their integration with electric drive units, harnessing the advantages of each,” the release said, hinting at hybrids without mentioning the H word. Toyota, maker of the Prius, is of course the king of hybrids.
The next point will get car enthusiasts nodding. The companies say that the new engines will ‘revolutionise vehicle packaging’ by being more compact than existing units. Smaller engines will allow for lower hoods, improving design possibilities and aerodynamic performance while contributing to better fuel efficiency. Sounds perfect for a sports car, doesn’t it? Of course, compliance with increasingly strict emissions regulations is also a target.
What brings out the best in us? Competition. “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,” said Koji Sato, current president and CEO of Toyota.
Remember the ‘signature engines’ part mentioned earlier? Boxer engines are a Subaru trademark, and will be so for the foreseeable future.
“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,” said Atsushi Osaki, Subaru’s president and CEO.
Mazda? Rotary, of course! “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,” said Masahiro Moro, president and CEO of Mazda.
So, we can expect ICE to live on – but working in conjunction with motors and batteries, as well as clean fuels – for the next decade at the very least. I see this Japanese ‘multi-pathway alliance’ to carbon neutrality (will more carmakers join the pact?) as a counter to the ‘all eggs in the EV basket’ approach to R&D taken by Western automakers post-Dieselgate.
Ironically, that approach – and public declarations of EV-only deadlines by bureaucrats – has handed the initiative and momentum to China, an EV threat that they completely didn’t see coming. As Chinese EVs gush into European ports, they definitely see it now and are trying to react via tariffs and legal means. Instead of knee-jerk protectionism, how about eating some humble pie and join the alternative movement?
That’s unlikely, of course, and it’s also undeniable that the Japanese have their own interests to protect, but if there are other routes to carbon neutrality, why are we all so fixed on EVs? What’s your view on this?
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