Toyota, GAC Unveil Ammonia-Fueled Internal Combustion Engine

Prototype engine uses high compression, boost and tweaked combustion chambers to run liquid NH3 for a carbon and particulate-free exhaust stream. Will we ever see it on the farm?

If you’ve read this column very long you realize I have an interest in engines of the rotating and reciprocating varieties — those that burn energy-dense fuels and don’t require fuel tanks the size of a submarine

It’s increasingly apparent, however, there are those who would mandate this technology out of existence in the name of “climate change” despite plentiful evidence viable alternatives for heavy-duty off-road use are still far from economically feasible. 

Because of this, when bright minds swim upstream “politically” to find ways to continue the use of pistons and proven engineering architecture, I’m all ears.

Toyota’s recent announcement of a prototype 4-cylinder internal combustion engine (ICE) that burns ammonia (NH3) directly — with NO carbon emissions — certainly “turns my crank,” so to speak. 

The possibilities are great for agriculture which faces strong political head winds with its dominant use of diesel-fueled ICE powering most of the industry. Afterall, most farms have ready access to ammonia fertilizer, and the same anhydrous ammonia that corn plants love, can be a drop-in fuel for the new engine technology. 

While Toyota has back-pedaled publicly on all-out battery electric vehicle (BEV) adoption, the legacy automaker has developed many EVs of its own, along with hydrogen-fueled vehicles sporting fuel cells. Like me, however, someone at Toyota apparently still loves ICE technology — $6 billion worth, the cost of development of the ammonia engine. 

Working in conjunction with China’s GAC Motor, Toyota recently unveiled a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine rated at 161 hp…

To view the content, please subscribe or login.
 Premium content is for our Digital-only and Premium subscribers. A Print-only subscription doesn't qualify. Please purchase/upgrade a subscription with the Digital product to get access to all No-Till Farmer content and archives online. Learn more about the different versions and what is included.

Dmcmugtrail

Dan Crummett

Dan Crummett has more than 40 years in regional and national agricultural journalism including editing state farm magazines, web-based machinery reporting and has a long-term interest in no-till and conservation tillage. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oklahoma State University.

Top Articles

Current Issue

Cover_NTF-December-2024.jpg

No-Till Farmer

Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.

Subscribe Now

View More

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More
Top Directory Listings