News On Japan

Toyota's Liquid Hydrogen Car Completes 24-Hour Endurance Race

SHIZUOKA, Jun 04 (News On Japan) - Toyota's hydrogen engine vehicle, which competed in a 24-hour endurance race over the weekend, is continuing to evolve with the aim of mass production.

Roaring around the track, the race car sped through tight curves and accelerated even more on the straights. When it pulled into the pit, the "H2 (Hydrogen)" label on the body stood out—a symbol of Toyota’s vision for the future of motorsports and a carbon-neutral society.

The 24-hour endurance race took place at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, with the iconic Mount Fuji in the background. The car racing through the course was Toyota’s liquid hydrogen engine prototype.

Unlike electric vehicles, this car burns hydrogen directly to run, resulting in minimal carbon dioxide emissions. While Toyota initially used gaseous hydrogen when development began four years ago, it shifted to liquid hydrogen in 2023. In the final race of 2024, the vehicle achieved roughly 2.5 times the driving range per fill-up compared to when using gaseous hydrogen.

For this latest race, Toyota introduced technologies aimed at both high power and improved fuel efficiency. These included a new combustion method and a redesigned hydrogen refill valve to shorten refueling times.

Takahashi Tomoya, President of Toyota’s GR Company, stated, "Last season, we were told to build up the fundamental strength to climb the mountain toward practical use. This year, we focused on simply finishing the race with that mindset."

Once again, Chairman Akio Toyoda took the wheel as a driver. The car completed 468 laps in 24 hours—well exceeding its performance in 2024.

While Toyota continues to push its hydrogen engine vehicles toward commercialization, it also unveiled a prototype racing kart at the circuit that day. Although karts are widely seen as ideal entry points into motorsports, full-fledged models can cost around 1.5 million yen, posing a barrier to broader adoption.

To address this, Toyota is leveraging its mass production expertise to develop a low-cost kart. The company aims to bring the price down to roughly one-quarter that of European-made karts. It has also created a custom kit that allows a single adult to transport the kart in a minivan.

In addition to gasoline, the new kart can run on carbon-neutral fuel. Another prototype kart equipped with a hydrogen (gaseous) engine was also unveiled, showcasing its dynamic driving performance.

Ito Naoaki, Chief Engineer at Toyota’s GR Vehicle Development Division, commented, "We’re thinking about how to revitalize the auto industry moving forward—planting seeds for the future and considering how to attract children into the automotive world."

Toyota's challenge continues—aiming to inspire a new generation of car enthusiasts while remaining mindful of the environment.

Source: FNN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

After nearly a decade of construction, the newly rebuilt Haneda Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, one of Tokyo’s key arteries linking the city center with Haneda Airport, has been unveiled to the media ahead of its official switch to a new road on October 29th.

The newly launched Takaichi Cabinet moved into full operation on October 22nd, with early personnel decisions revealing a clear conservative tone. Satsuki Katayama was appointed as finance minister and Kimi Onoda as minister in charge of foreign resident policy, underscoring what observers are calling the emergence of a distinct “Takaichi color.”

Authorities in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, have begun culling approximately 460,000 laying hens after a poultry farm in the region’s Iburi area confirmed infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza, marking the first confirmed outbreak of the season in Japan.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sports NEWS

Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, 85, chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, has been awarded this year’s Order of Culture, while voice actress Masako Nozawa, 88, known for voicing the protagonist Son Goku in the anime "Dragon Ball," has been named a Person of Cultural Merit — the first voice actor ever to receive the distinction.

The first grand sumo tournament in London in 34 years opened on October 15th, transforming the iconic Royal Albert Hall into a little corner of Japan and drawing more than 5,400 spectators for a spectacular night of traditional wrestling.

Two yokozuna preparing for a special sumo exhibition in London spent the day exploring the city’s famous landmarks before the event’s opening.

Preparations for the first Grand Sumo performance in London in 34 years were shown to the media on October 13th, as workers began building the dohyo using soil sourced from within the United Kingdom.

Dozens of self-proclaimed ninjas from across Japan gathered in the city of Koka, Shiga Prefecture, known as one of the historic homes of the shinobi, to compete in a unique national championship testing their stealth, agility, and skill.

People who belonged to a school sports club or athletic circle are significantly more likely to maintain regular exercise habits after graduation than those who did not, according to a new survey by the Japan Sports Agency.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is set to acquire the naming rights to Japan’s National Stadium starting in January 2026, according to sources familiar with the matter.

A special event was held at the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue where visitors could experience a professional basketball game broadcast in real time using advanced technology.