Toyota shows off its latest big idea for cold hydrogen vehicles

The liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2 Concept. | Image: Toyota

Toyota is pushing hydrogen-powered vehicle technology forward with a liquid hydrogen system design that includes a self-pressurizer to save escaping gas and reuse it as fuel to increase engine efficiency.

Toyota introduced a liquid system in the GR Corolla H2 Concept in 2023, which keeps hydrogen at -253 degrees Celsius during filling and storing in the tank. Hydrogen exists as a gas at room temperature, so the pumps have to operate cold to prevent the liquid from boiling. Inherently, the system still has boil-off gas that gets wasted.

Image: Toyota

Boil-off gas chart for the system.

So what’s the solution? Toyota exhibited a “self-pressurizer” at the Super Taikyu Series 2024 race this past weekend that “uses the…