Yamaha just announced that they will unveil their new hydrogen-powered outboard prototype at the big Miami show, starting. Feb. 14.
This will be Yamaha’s first entry into the hydrogen-powered marine market, and we don’t have many details so far. The Japanese company says it is using “a multi-directional development” approach, and that Yamaha USA will focus on boat development, while Yamaha Japan will focus on engine development. Most hulls would have to be redesigned to hold a fuel cell for hydrogen power.
Yamaha entered a partnership with Toyota in 2022 to develop a hydrogen engine for cars, ending up with a 5-liter V8 using 100 percent hydrogen power. But for marine use Yamaha has to develop a more powerful engine to overcome water resistance (which is much heavier than air resistance for cars). Indeed, Heiji Maruyama, Yamaha’s CEO, said the energy required for a marine application is 10 times that required for a car.
He also said that the performance and engineering required for marine use varies widely, depending on how the engines will be used, whether for fishing or recreation, for example, and on the marine environment where they’ll be used, whether in the ocean, rivers or lakes.
Yamaha’s prototype outboard seems similar to the hydrogen engine it developed last year for Toyota’s Lexus RC F sport coupe. That engine meant converting the automotive powerhead, including modifying injectors, cylinder head and the intake manifold. The hydrogen engine delivered 450-hp at 6800 rpm.
Earlier this year a 20-foot hydrogen-powered RIB from HG2C Boat with a 51 kWh fuel cell and a Torqeedo Deep Blue 50R outboard hit a top speed of 28 mph in tests.
Read more at https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2023/1207/proto-obm.html
