Analysis: Carbon neutrality, the big fight

Toyota argues that there is more than one shade of green, and puts forth several alternatives to EVs. We weigh up the arguments.

Published On Feb 03, 2023 08:00:00 AM

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Analysis: Carbon neutrality, the big fight

IMV-0 concept was used as a safety car on track.

Hydrogen can be produced from many sources.

Earth, currently our only home, is heating up. Due in part to the blanket of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, the steady rise in temperature is leading to unusual weather patterns and climate change. A disproportionately large part of the blame for this is placed at the doorstep of the automobile industry. And what’s worse is that people in general believe the only solution lies in the mass migration to electric vehicles. Even as we become more aware of the carbon produced during the manufacture and use of EVs, many don’t agree with this oversimplified view.

The Hilux BEV will go on sale a year from now.

To begin with, EVs today are emphatically not zero-emission vehicles. Making a large automotive battery releases tons and tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. So, EVs start the race with a handicap. In most cases, it is years before EVs reach a break-even point where they can make use of their greater efficiency. And then, what’s almost as bad is that the power they consume comes from an electric grid loaded with carbon. Today, only around 25 percent of electricity produced is made from green, sustainable sources, while the rest comes from the likes of coal, thermal and gas – all of which put out carbon emissions.

Electric motor sits on the rear axle.

This is where Toyota comes in. Toyota boss Akio Toyoda says electric cars aren’t the only solution. This is despite the fact that Toyota plans to sell around three million EVs a year by 2030. This is no small number; it represents roughly 30 percent of the carmaker’s annual sales, currently 10 million cars. What Toyoda is trying to convey is that carbon neutrality is the real issue and reducing carbon emissions should be the real goal.

Underbody protection for battery on a truck is important.

This means we need to be aware of just how much carbon dioxide is used in every step of a car’s journey, whatever the power source. We need to be powertrain agnostic and not put all our eggs in the EV basket. Speaking exclusively to Autocar India, Toyoda spelt out his vision. “Battery electric is ok, hydrogen is ok, hybrid is ok. The customers will decide,” the Toyota president said. “What we have to focus on is carbon neutrality. Personally, I would rather pursue every option, not just one.”

Both, EV batteries and hydrogen can carry energy, but which is greener?

“We need emission-free synthetic fuels, hydrogen, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in electric vehicles and full battery electric cars. We’ve introduced fuel cell vehicles too like our Toyota Mirai and are also pursuing hydrogen as a fuel for combustion engines,” he added. Toyoda also said he believes a holistic approach to carbon neutrality is much needed. How we source materials, how we manufacture cars, what powertrains we put in them, and how we dispose of them: it’s all part of the cycle. And carbon neutrality must be a group effort that includes governments and other industries beyond automotive.

His message today resonates with many. Yes, in an ideal world, batteries should be produced using only green energy, and in the future, one hundred percent of electricity, in theory, could be made from sustainable and carbon-neutral sources, but we are clearly a long, long way away from that. And who knows if we will ever get there. In fact, in many scenarios, strong hybrids produce less CO2 than electrics. And then, there are many ways to make them even cleaner. Hydrogen, synthetic fuels, plug-in systems all have a role to play.

Toyota has also used hydrogen to fuel a rally car in Japan.

What it all boils down to is the clean transportation of energy or more specifically the lithium-rich battery versus hydrogen and synthetic fuels. There are multiple ways to make hydrogen. Some are green and many don’t produce a lot of CO2. But why do we have to choose, why can’t we have both? And let’s not forget the potential of synthetic fuel. Eventually, yes, one of them will pull ahead, but why run a one- horse race from today, why designate a winner on a whim? Especially when you have no idea which will eventually be greener and less polluting.

And then once you get the H2 economy going, you can power big trucks, aircraft and container ships; all currently making massive pollution. Remember, a majority of goods and products are shipped to the western world from China. And container ships are amongst the biggest polluters. This is why Toyota showcased multiple clean energy solutions at its Carbon Neutrality Summit and also brought in energy partners who explained how they could make, transport and distribute hydrogen in a green and efficient manner. The event was held at Idemitsu 1500 super endurance 2022 (25H race) in Thailand and Toyota even ran a hydrogen-powered race car at the event (see box).

Huge hydrogen storage tanks look like military hardware.

Also part of the event were two green energy light trucks based on the IMV platform; the same used by the Innova and Fortuner. These are the IMV-0 (zero) and Hilux Revo BEV concepts. The project was actually initiated by Akio Toyoda. “I decided to challenge our engineering and design teams to create a brand-new IMV pickup truck for Thailand, something truly affordable and innovative. Frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals,” he said.

The fact is that EVs are much more expensive today than ICE cars and most buyers in Asia are unwilling to pay the 40-45 percent mark up needed to get a like-for-like EV. Getting them into strong hybrids starts off this journey of electrification and as we have seen, a strong hybrid is often greener than an EV. This allows every customer to select greener solutions and allows decarbonisation to start immediately.

Toyota says its goal is to make its plants carbon neutral by 2035 and shoot for overall carbon neutrality by 2050. It has already put 20.3 million XEVs on the road since it started the hybrid journey back in 1997 and calculates that it has abated 162 million tonnes of CO2.

H2 Cars - Racing to improve the breed

H2-powered GR Corolla managed to do 152 laps with some competitive lap times.

Toyota’s bold entry into the IDEMITSU 1500 Super Endurance 25-hour race with a hydrogen-powered car was undertaken by president Akio Toyoda’s team Rookie Racing. The president raced under the name “Morizo” and drove the GR Corolla H2 concept, a hydrogen-fueled combustion engine vehicle. While the car completed 152 laps only and was often back in the pit, the engineering team made plenty of progress in understanding how the system works under these conditions.

Akio Toyoda stands triumphant after running the hydrogen-powered GR Corolla in the 25H race.

The H2 Corolla uses the tanks and hydrogen storage system from the Mirai. Taking up all the space behind the driver are the carbon-fibre H2 tanks. The tanks hold the hydrogen at a pressure of 10,000psi and the gas is then stepped down in pressure before it is introduced into the combustion chamber of the engine.

H2 tanks from Mirai run at a high 10,000psi.

The three-cylinder turbo engine makes 300hp, and since it is running hydrogen, drivers get a boost of around 30 percent when it comes to torque. The engine requires very little new hardware, only the injectors are completely different. The handling of the car also remains relatively unchanged as weight distribution is only altered by an additional 3-4kg more over the rear wheels.

Big advances are made in the crucible of motorsport.

The hydrogen was supplied by Thai partners BIG (Bangkok Industrial Gas), who also provided the massive transportation trailers. The participation in the race was done to accelerate the development of hydrogen-powered ICE cars as well as to showcase how safe they are today.