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Toyota has electric vehicles (EVs) slated for release in 2024, but the Japanese automaker needs to be all-in with the EV market.
The company is exploring a potentially game-changing alternative with ammonia-powered engines.
An ammonia engine is a modification of the internal combustion engine, using ammonia as its primary fuel source.
Here’s why it works
Ammonia is made up of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms.
One approach uses the hydrogen in fuel cells that generate electricity.
Another approach blends the ammonia with other fuels (diesel or gas), making for easier ignition and sustainable combustion.
A third approach uses ammonia as the primary fuel by utilizing compression, spark, or homogeneous charge compression ignition.
Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) is a form of internal combustion in which well-mixed fuel and oxidizer (typically air) are compressed to the point of auto-ignition. As in other forms of combustion, this exothermic reaction produces heat that can be transformed into work in a heat engine.
Since ammonia does not contain carbon atoms, carbon dioxide is not present as in traditional fuels like gas and diesel.
The absence of carbon atoms in ammonia translates to the lack of carbon dioxide emissions during combustion-combating pollution.
Ammonia engines provide high energy density, making them energy storage and transport efficient. This efficient high energy density allows for efficient energy storage and transport, making them ideal for industries (like trucking) needing transportation and power generation.
Moving it forward
Toyota is collaborating with GAC Group, a Chinese state-owned manufacturer, to develop a prototype engine that burns liquid ammonia.
The two-liter, four-cylinder engine reportedly generates 161 horsepower and reduces carbon emissions by 90 percent.
Ammonia has long been used in various industries, being introduced in France in the 1850s as a refrigerant. From there, it has been used as a chemical compound in dyes…
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