Your Favorite Japanese Automakers Are Joining Forces To Keep Engines Alive

Back in September, a company called Eneos announced it had completed its first synthetic fuels demonstration plant in Yokohama City, Japan, in partnership with Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, and Daihatsu. It’s the first facility of its kind in Japan that is capable of handling the entire process of producing synthetic fuels from raw materials, with operations starting in fall of last year.

At the facility, green electricity is used in the process of producing the raw material of CO2-free hydrogen, with a production scale of one barrel per day, or about 42 gallons. Now, the new synthetic fuel produced at the facility will be used in production cars for the first time publicly at the upcoming Expo 2025 in Japan.

• Subaru

  Subaru is the car making division of the Japanese transport company, Subaru Corporation, and it’s one of the largest in the world. It was founded in 1953, preceded by the Nakajima Aircraft Company, and today manufactures vehicles known for their boxer engines, symmetrical all-wheel drive systems, and pedigreed history. 

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  Toyota

  Toyota is a Japanese automaker founded in 1937 that has developed a reputation for reliability across a multitude of segments, from sports cars and family sedans to pickup trucks and off-roaders. Famous models from the brand include the Hilux, Land Cruiser, Camry, Crown, and Corolla, the latter being the world’s best-selling vehicle nameplate, with more than 50 million Corolla-badged vehicles being sold since it was first introduced. Toyota typically competes in the mainstream market, but is also famous for launching Lexus as a luxury sub-brand to take on Mercedes-Benz.

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  Mazda

  Mazda is a Japanese automaker founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co and only started producing vehicles in 1931 when it made the Mazda-Go auto rickshaw. The Japanese automaker’s first official car arrived in May 1960 when the Mazda R360 launched, starting Mazda as we know it today, although the Mazda name was only adopted in 1984. Mazda has a rich history in motorsport, including the honor of being the only manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a car not powered by a reciprocating engine.

The only catch is that it’ll be a blend, with synthetic fuel mixed in with traditionally-sourced fuel. Still, it’s more carbon-efficient than before, and a huge step on the path to pure carbon neutrality from complete use of sustainable fuels.

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Where The Fuel Will Be Used First

Various vehicles from the partnered automakers will use the synthetic fuel to shepherd people around the Expo grounds, including guests of Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, and Daihatsu. It’s not clear what grade the fuel is rated at, or how efficient it is in current gas engine technologies. It’s also not mentioned whether the vehicles require modification to run on the fuel. All that’s said is that the automakers have previously proven the tech for themselves, and this will be the first public demo.

A Path To Carbon Neutrality For Gas Cars

Development of a liquid carbon-neutral synthetic fuel should slot nicely into existing infrastructure, keeping overall costs of implementation down compared to something like the infrastructure required for EV adoption. That is, if the cost of producing the fuel isn’t too obstructive, which isn’t mentioned in this latest announcement from Eneos and its partnered automakers.

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Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump On The Synthetic Fuel Bandwagon

EVs haven’t lived up to expectations and combustion engines are still going extinct. So, this is the perfect time to consider synthetic fuels.

Still, the Japanese group of automakers believes that “engine-equipped vehicles running on synthetic fuel are a key mobility option on the path toward carbon neutrality.” It’s also worth noting that Subaru has been making inroads in the technology for years, as have Toyota and several European automakers, indicating the industry is determined to bring it to reality.