Last year, we learned of Toyota and Lexus’ latest development in terms of sustainability. Together with Yamaha, the Japanese carmaker is working on a version of the 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated, 2UR-GSE, V-8 engine. While most car companies are still focusing on EVs, Toyota and by extension Lexus, are working on keeping the internal-combustion engine alive by taking the necessary steps to replace fossil fuels with much more eco-friendly hydrogen. More importantly for enthusiasts, the 5.0 V-8 is Lexus’ most exciting engine yet, and in an era of downsized, turbocharged engines, this could give Lexus a much-needed edge in the performance car segment.

Related: Yamaha Develops Hydrogen-Fuelled V8 Engine

Toyota, Lexus, And Yamaha: An Epic Collaboration

2021 A Lexus IS-F
Lexus
front 3/4 view of a 2021 A Lexus IS-F driving on a racetrack

It is no secret that the majority of Toyota’s most exciting models feature engines that were co-developed or in some cases, completely developed by Yamaha. A few examples would be the 2.0-liter 3M engine that powers the 1967 Toyota 2000GT, the last Celica’s 2ZZ engine, the Supra’s 2JZ-GTE engine, and the 1LR-GUE, V-10 engine in the Lexus LFA, to name a few.

You would be glad to know that Yamaha is, once again, helping the Japanese carmaker retrofit its 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 to run on hydrogen fuel. Engineers are currently working on upgrading the engine with stronger internals, which are needed to run on the much more unstable and flammable hydrogen fuel that requires a much higher pressure in order to burn efficiently. This will reflect in the weight department as a much thicker fuel tank is needed to store the fuel. Another change concerns the fuel injectors and fuel lines, which need to be replaced by equivalents meant for gas instead of liquid fuel.

Yamaha And Lexus' Hydrogen V-8 Will Have Near-Identical Performance To The Gasoline Version

A prototype Toyota/Yamaha Hydrogen V8 Engine sits on an engine stand.
Yamaha
The Toyota/Yamaha hydrogen-burning V-8 with its wild exhaust manifold.

Internal combustion engines that run on hydrogen are very similar to their petrol-burning counterparts aside from the aforementioned changes. The big difference and main reason for their development is that, unlike gasoline engines, hydrogen ones do not produce CO2 emissions. We know that the Yamaha-designed, hydrogen version of Lexus’ 5.0-liter V-8 will produce 450 horsepower and rev up to 6,800 RPM. These numbers are better than the “around 420” horsepower figure we heard last year, meaning engineers are managing to safely squeeze performance similar to the gas-powered version.

To put things in perspective, the 2021 Lexus IS-F’s gasoline-burning, 5.0-liter V-8 produces 472 horsepower at 7,100 RPM and 395 pound-feet (536 Nm) at 4,800 RPM. Hydrogen vehicles may not emit CO2 emissions, but due to the high combustion temperature, they produce a lot of N20 (nitrous oxide), which is also a pollutant. Engineers have negated the effect by increasing the amount of air into the fuel mixture, which is the reason for reduced power levels compared to a similar, petrol-burning engine.

Related: Why Toyota's "New" AE86 Has Us Talking About A Hydrogen Future

Lexus’ Secret Weapon Takes The Fight To Ford, Chevrolet, And Dodge

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Lexus
Front view of red Lexus IS500 F Sport Performance 

Lexus is not a brand you would immediately associate with performance or excitement, but somehow, it is currently the only Japanese brand to have a large-displacement, naturally-aspirated engine developed with performance in mind. A naturally-aspirated V-8 is something typically reserved for American car manufacturers like Ford and its Mustang GT, along with its competitors from Chevy and Dodge, but here we are with a rev-happy, 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated, Lexus V-8, co-developed with Yamaha.

The hydrogen V-8 is, apparently, making progress, which means that Lexus can take full advantage of the “first come, first serve” scenario with regard to eco-friendly, performance cars that rely on internal-combustion engines. What would make things even better is if Toyota and Lexus bring back the manual transmission for the IS model. Considering the company’s latest developments for a “manual” transmission for EVs, there is a semi-descent chance it may happen.

Related: Yamaha Plans To Save The V-8 By Moving Away From Gasoline?

Lexus’ Hydrogen-Burning V-8 Could Make EVs Obsolete

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Lexus
Rear 3/4 view of red Lexus IS500 F Sport Performance driving.

For all their disadvantages concerning storage, safety, and performance, hydrogen-burning vehicles come with inherent advantages compared to EVs. Among them is the much quicker refueling, which in the GR Yaris H2 takes 1.5 minutes to top up. An EV needs, on average, about 30 minutes with on AC charging, and that’s for a 10 to 80 percent charge.

Another advantage is that hydrogen-powered vehicles are fueled by one of the most widespread resources – H2 – which is also a renewable resource, unlike fossil fuels, which also need to be refined. As for EVs, cobalt, lithium, and nickel, all of which vital components in EVs, are non-renewable. Because of this, hydrogen vehicles have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to their EV and fossil-fueled counterparts.

The best part for enthusiasts who don’t want to give up on the internal-combustion engine is that the driving experience will be almost identical to petrol-burning vehicles. Cars like the hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris and GR Corolla prove that the soundtrack of a hydrogen vehicle is identical to that of a petrol-burning one. Hydrogen may not be the easiest resource to process, but once processing technologies are advanced enough, hydrogen cars will also be cheap to refuel. After models like the Toyota Mirai, the Japanese carmaker is clearly directing its attention to the next-generation, sustainable, performance vehicles. Most importantly, this prolongs the life of big V-8 engines indefinitely.