Automotive Engineering - August 2024 - 13

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
PROPULSION
Toyota, Mazda, Subaru agree carbon is 'the enemy' with new internal
combustion engine announcement
Toyota, Mazda and Subaru announced a
new technological effort to create new
internal combustion engines and ways
to use them in the electrification era,
specifically for hybrid and plug-in hybrid
vehicles. The companies said at a
joint press conference in Japan that
they would encourage increased use of
petroleum alternatives like biofuels and
eFuels in their effort to create carbonneutral
vehicles. A joint statement from
the three OEMs claims this push for new
and better ICEs comes with a focus on
" carbon as the enemy " as they develop
engines that can better work with electric
motors, batteries, and other electric
drive units. Toyota, Mazda and Subaru
made clear they are not getting rid of
EV-only vehicle plans.
Here's how each company will approach
the new ICE+EV era (quotes provided
in English by on-site interpreters).
Toyota: smaller, better engines
Toyota will develop new, low-displacement
inline four-cylinder engines, Toyota
president and CEO Koji Sato said, with
an emphasis on increased efficiency and
more compactness by combining the
Prototype Subaru Crosstrek equipped with next-generation hybrid system.
engine with an electric power unit.
" Based on the concept of adding an
engine onto an electric unit, we are refining
our technology to achieve higher
efficiency than before by leveraging the
areas in which each electric motor and
engine excel, " Sato said. " By optimizing
engines for electrification, we will make
their structure more competitive and
compact, which will lead to more flexibility
in engine installations in cars. "
Toyota's chief technology officer,
Hiroki Nakajima, said that the company's
new, naturally aspirated 1.5-L engine
would be 10% smaller in both volume
and height, while offering better fuel
economy and around the same power
output. The new 1.5-L turbo engine
would be similarly smaller (a 20% volume
reduction and a 15% height reduction)
compared to the current 2.5-naturally
aspirated engine and will trade
slightly worst fuel-efficiency for a 30%
improvement in horsepower. Finally,
Toyota's new 2.0-L engine will, compared
to the current 2.4-L turbo, be 10%
smaller and shorter, with better efficiency
and, again, around 30% higher hp.
From left to right: Atsushi Osaki, Subaru president and CEO; Tetsuo Fujinuki, senior managing
executive officer and CTO, Subaru; Koji Sato, Toyota president and CEO; Hiroki Nakajima, executive
vice president and CTO, Toyota; Masahiro Moro, Mazda president and CEO; Ichiro Hirose, senior
managing executive officer and CTO, Mazda.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Mazda: rotary to the future
Mazda is looking to the past when it
comes to finding the correct future for
ICEs by considering using the rotary
engine for the new HEVs and PHEVs.
August 2024 13
BOTH IMAGES: TOYOTA
Automotive Engineering - August 2024

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