Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda have announced a joint commitment to develop new engines tailored to electrification and the pursuit of carbon neutrality. Through these new engines, the companies together aim to optimize integration with motors, batteries, and other electric drive units. The collaboration will likewise work to decarbonize ICEs by making them compatible with various carbon-neutral (CN) fuels.
In pursuing decarbonization, the three OEMs will ultimately drive efforts to ensure a future for the supply chains and jobs that underpin vehicle engines. Here, they have worked to broaden powertrain and fuel options by competing with vehicles running on liquid hydrogen and CN fuels. The companies say that this process has clarified the role that they believe future engines will play in achieving carbon neutrality. With these next-generation engines, the companies will seek to not only improve performance, but also optimize their integration with electric drive units.
In addition to their heightened efficiency and power, the new engines will also be more compact than existing models. This size, in turn, allows for lower hoods – improving design possibilities and aerodynamic performance while contributing to better fuel efficiency and complying with strict emissions regulations. At the same time, the new engines will be made carbon neutral by shifting away from fossil fuels and offering compatibility with various alternatives, including e-fuel (synthetic fuel), biofuels, and liquid hydrogen. In doing so, these engines will contribute to the broader adoption of CN fuels.
