Ford Motor has beaten Toyota to the punch by filing a patent for hydrogen-fueled combustion engines at the US Patent and Trademark office. The company will reserve the new engines for its performance car lineup.
Ford Motor has particularly patented the turbocharged hydrogen combustion engine. Experts claim that the design — being simpler than electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains — will be cheap to execute on a commercial scale.
A report from Muscle Cars and Trucks noted that the engine will function as a conventional motor, such that it will utilize Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) to optimize performance and regulate emissions.
According to Reuters, the patent documents have revealed that the design also incorporates a Hybrid Electric Motor that will enhance the power and efficiency of the powertrain.
Since the automaker is keeping a tight lid on the matter, it is unknown when or not the new engine will go into production. Currently, skepticism surrounds Ford for patenting several other technologies and not making them a reality.
Toyota’s Effort
In a similar endeavor, Toyota has partnered with Yamaha to develop a high-performance engine for its sports cars. The new engine is based on a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 unit used in RC F coupé, IS 500 sedan, and LC 500 roadster.
The Japanese carmaker claims that the new engine will generate power through the internal combustion of hydrogen fuel. Yamaha highlighted that the engine has been in development for five years and will be incorporated into a performance model soon.
Yamaha’s President Yoshihiro Hikada stated that the company will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 with the aid of its new hydrogen-based powertrain which will be environmentally friendly and exhilarating in equal measure.
With Ford also joining the fray, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
