Toyota shows hydrogen-powered GR Yaris prototype
As it stands right now, the Toyota GR Yaris is only powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine but Toyota is seemingly working on a special hydrogen engine to power the hot hatch as an alternative to electrification.
Seen during a demonstration run at Rally Belgium, the 9th round of the WRC, Akio Toyoda, the brand's president, took the GR Yaris H2 for a spin. This is the first time Toyota has shown a hydrogen-engined vehicle that's still under development on public roads outside Japan.
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The hydrogen-engine-powered GR Yaris served as a test car on special stage 11 as it drove ahead of the safety car during the track inspection, with rallying legend Juha Kankkunen as the co-pilot. The GR Yaris managed to steer through extremely slippery and changing road surfaces without any form of drama.
"I am grateful to Juha for his courtesy in allowing me to drive. He guided me in sync with my driving, making me feel comfortable. The roads were tough – not only slippery but also narrow, and their surfaces seemed to change from moment to moment. They were like the roads used in Rally Japan, and it was a good chance to think about races with spectators in mind", said Akio.
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Toyota also had its Mirai Fuel Cell vehicle, which thoroughly showcased an external power supply. According to Akio, the two cars highlighted the potential of hydrogen as an option for achieving carbon neutrality.
Apart from electric cars, hydrogen-combustion technology will become an alternative for achieving carbon neutrality also in the motorsport world. For a while now, Toyota has been hard at work experimenting with the technology using a slightly modified Corolla touring car that competes in Japan's Super Taikyu race series.
Toyota hasn't mentioned anything regarding the official production of the GR Yaris H2. Given, though, how it's pushing towards a zero-emission future, we're betting that it's not long before we see a production-ready model.
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