Toyota says that its hydrogen-powered Corolla H2 Concept missed the first round of the Super Taikyu Series at Suzuka due to an “vehicle fire” during testing.
The company states that its Corolla H2 Concept caught fire after a hydrogen leak in the engine compartment combusted while testing at the Fuji International Speedway on March 8.
The extent of the damage to Toyota’s hydrogen racer is unknown, with Toyota stating that it “could not recover the vehicle in time” and the team were forced to abandon the race.
Toyota says that the fire was not directly caused by the hydrogen changing from a gas to a liquid. Instead, vibrations caused a loose pipe joint that was leaking hydrogen extremely close to the engine block to ignite.
One of the Corolla’s leak sensors caught the leak – a little late – and cut the supply of hydrogen from the high-pressure tanks, with Toyota stating the cabin was from protected from the flames.
Toyota says that it will now review the design of the piping that loosened up, and will “continue to develop safer vehicles”.
With the hydrogen racer out of the picture, Toyota entered its ORC Rookie GR Yaris with its conventional 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol unit into the first round of the Super Taikyu Series held at Suzuka.
Toyota is far from giving up on its hydrogen race concept, though, stating that it will continue to enter it into races with the goal of becoming one of the world’s first to compete in a race with a car powered entirely by hydrogen.
As you might remember, the car in question is not a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle but a special prototype that features the 1.6-litre turbo three-cylinder engine from the GR Yaris. Instead of running on petrol it runs on hydrogen, with combustion providing the power through the crankshaft like conventional petrol/diesel engine.
