This is a hydrogen-powered GR Yaris

It’s the latest demonstrator in a project that’s been ongoing since 2017, investigating the viability of hydrogen combustion. Toyota claims the technology is still “not yet ready for commercialisation”, though its reliability is presently being tested in a hydrogen-powered Corolla racing car in the Super Taikyu series. Joining it soon will be a Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ running on synthetic fuels.

Both that Corolla and this GR Yaris use the same familiar 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine with few modifications beyond a hydrogen storage tank, fuel supply and injection system. While also being very clean, this maintains the familiarities we’re oh-so keen to cling to with internal combustion engines: the noises and visceral sensations. Beyond saving the cars we love, a hydrogen infrastructure would be relatively easy to implement, as it would be for the OEMs to make the adaptations required to make existing combustion engines compatible.

Another advantage of burning hydrogen instead of petrol is the speed at which it combusts, improving engine response compared with burning petrol. There is a catch, though, which they regularly battle in the Corolla racer that uses this tech. High-speed burn means high-speed depletion. As such these hydrogen-powered Toyotas are for the moment, binge drinkers.

“We’ve taken the first step to compete with and develop our hydrogen-powered engine with the mindset of taking on the challenge,” said Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation

“I imagine things will look a little different 10 years from now, and I hope people will look back and see how we took on the challenge with positivity and enjoyed every moment of it.”