Toyota is actively pursuing innovations to preserve the combustion engine, and its latest endeavor has introduced a fascinating new technology. The company has tested a filtration system capable of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
While this advancement holds promise, there’s still considerable progress needed before it’s ready for mass production.
The new technology has been integrated into the hydrogen combustion engine currently undergoing testing in the racing variant of the GR Corolla. Operating on a simple principle, the filter system captures carbon dioxide and converts it into a liquid using the engine’s heat, requiring no additional energy.
However, widespread adoption of this technology in mainstream vehicles like the Prius or RAV4 is still a distant prospect. The filtration system presently captures insufficient amounts of carbon to offset emissions from an average petrol engine and requires frequent replacement.
For instance, during a 20-lap test run, the racing car managed to filter out only about 20 grams of carbon dioxide, a relatively modest figure compared to the approximately 2.4 kilograms emitted by a petrol car per liter of fuel consumed.
Toyota has taken a distinctive stance in the automotive industry by embarking on a “major engine development project,” as announced by CEO Akio Toyoda, while many competitors are heavily investing in battery electric vehicles.
Unlike others, the Japanese manufacturer has not entirely embraced electric vehicles, foreseeing slower adoption rates and market penetration. Instead, it advocates for a holistic approach to achieving carbon neutrality.
Anticipating a future where petrol engines, hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles coexist, Toyota, along with other automakers, is exploring hydrogen combustion engines that could significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Implementing the carbon dioxide filtration system in such engines could render them nearly carbon neutral. Additionally, Toyota suggests that the technology holds potential for application in traditional petrol engines as well.
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