Japanese engine manufacturers join forces for the hydrogen engine

The four major Japanese engine manufacturers, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki, have obtained funding to conduct joint research on the development of the hydrogen engine, particularly for pleasure craft.

Briag Merlet Published on May 17, 2023

Association around the hydrogen engine

Four of the world's largest engine manufacturers, including three that are very active in recreational boating, namely Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki, also associated with Kawasaki, have announced the launch of a partnership around the hydrogen engine. Called HySE, for Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology, it takes the form of a research association, with the aim of removing the obstacles to the use of hydrogen in combustion engines. Funding has been granted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy.

These companies explain that they are convinced of the need to increase the number of technical solutions for the decarbonization of everyday mobility, which includes small recreational boats. Hydrogen is a serious possibility," explains Kenji Komatsu, new president of HySE and director of Yamaha's technical center: "There are many challenges in the development of hydrogen engines, but we hope to see the association's activities advance in basic research to address these challenges. We are invested with a sense of mission to preserve the use of internal combustion engines, the result of efforts invested over time by our predecessors."

3 main research themes

Each of the companies will be a driving force on their own themes. 3 main topics have been identified:

Hydrogen engines, with modeling and full-scale testing of hydrogen engines
Tank filling systems, through the study of the constraints on the tanks and their filling process.
Fuel systems, to look at the whole network between the tank and the injection into the engine.