Toyota's GAC Reveals Ammonia-Powered Engine 90% Cleaner Than Gas

Chinese state-owned manufacturerGAC Group, which is half owned by Toyota Motor Corporation, has developed the world's first ammonia-powered engine for passenger vehicles.

The company claims this revolutionary 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 161 horsepower and reduces carbon emissions by 90%. Revealed at a technology presentation, the company claims it has had to overcome several issues during development, including an increase in combustion pressure and excess nitrogen emissions, reportsAutocar.

"We've overcome the pain point of ammonia being difficult to burn quickly and put the fuel to use in the passenger car industry," said Qi Hongzhong, an engineer at the GAC R&D center. "Its value to society and for commercial uses are worth anticipating."

Several entities are looking into ammonia as a low-carbon fuel, but there are problems to overcome. Not only is it more difficult to ignite than traditional fossil fuels, but it also burns slower.

With this in mind, it won't be easy for automakers to adopt ammonia-powered engines without further development. Even if we don't see it anytime soon, it's encouraging to see the potential for a clean-burning combustion engine is there.

Toyota owns a significant chunk of GAC. The Japanese carmaker has taken aunique approach to emissions-free motoringand believes this can be achieved through a mix of alternative fuels and regular electric vehicles. Aside from hydrogen fuel-cell-powered vehicles such as theMirai, Toyota is also developing hydrogen-powered combustion engines, a technology it is evaluatingthrough various motorsport exploits.

There's a strong possibility that Toyota may want to adopt ammonia-fueled powerplants in China and offer it in other markets as the tech evolves. Approximately 80% of ammonia is currently used by the agricultural industry as fertilizer. It's also used in the manufacturing of explosives, dyes, plastics, and various chemicals, so it's readily available.