The scream of a V-12, the roar of a V-8, the growl of a V-6, or even the buzz from four-cylinder ICE engines could be a memory of yesteryear with the ongoing electrification of the automotive industry. Electric vehicles can entice with their rapid performance, near-instantaneous acceleration, or even subjectively great looks, but with only a slight whir from their motor(s), EVs fail to excite enthusiasts aurally. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.
For instance, Toyota recently puts its GR Yaris H2 concept, a hydrogen-powered hot hatch racer, through its paces during a demonstration run at Rally Belgium. Though the H2 concept still dishes out zero emissions, unlike its all-electric counterparts, it shows the potential to keep the auditory spirit of gas-powered engines alive with a genuine exhaust note. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEV) may not be expanding at the rate of all-electric cars, but the H2 illustrates that the zero-emissions automotive future doesn’t have to be silent.
The GR Yaris H2 Concept Delivers Zero Emissions With Aural Excitement
The above video showcases that zero emissions don’t have to include zero soul-stirring sounds. The H2 concept is seen starting up, and in contrast to typical EVs, it “burbles” to life with a cranking sound one expects of an ICE-powered car. The low, buzzy idle sound isn’t completely traditional as there is obviously an electric whir playing the part of a backup singer, but it’s far closer to a traditional sound than any traditional EV can manufacture. The H2’s exhaust system, which looks like some aftermarket part from the future (which is appropriate given its context), sounds like an aftermarket exhaust note one might expect to hear from a four-cylinder ICE engine. As it accelerates away, the H2 gives off a rising purr, again similar to an ICE-aftermarket exhaust. Though the video doesn’t include the Yaris H2’s noise under hard acceleration or downshifts, the concept is already leagues ahead of its zero-emission counterparts for providing the kind of soundtrack that automotive enthusiasts have come to love (and, for many, demand).
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Toyota’s experimental exhaust could signal a future in which FCEV vehicles can still deliver the environmental benefits of electric vehicles while providing the traditional experience, in this case, performance and noise, of an ICE powertrain. Akio Toyoda, the outgoing Toyota CEO, said the test run allowed people to hear the exhaust of a hydrogen-powered car, and with the test’s motorsport-tuned audience, that keeping engine vibration and exhaust sounds are a goal for Toyota. However, applications of hydrogen-propelled cars that include an exhaust note could still be the way forward for passenger cars. And it’s a nut that every performance automaker wants to crack.
The GR Yaris H2’s Sounds Set It Apart
Most hydrogen-powered cars are still silent in their operation. They use a hydrogen fuel cell to produce electricity to motivate an electric motor. This is the case for the Yaris’ stablemate, the Toyota Mirai, which uses a hydrogen fuel cell to traverse town in silence. However, the Yaris H2 is different in that it features a three-cylinder turbocharged engine, still with cylinders, pistons, and valves, that doesn’t use hydrogen to produce electricity. Rather, it burns hydrogen instead of gasoline, and in doing so, it allows the Toyota to have a more traditional exhaust note. The setup doesn’t involve any special refueling — it’s the same as the Mirai.
Additionally, this system allows for more traditional ICE-performance with some potential enhancements as hydrogen combusts at a faster rate than gasoline. After getting behind the wheel of the H2 concept, Finnish rally driver Juha Kankkunen equated its performance to an ICE offering.
“The hydrogen engine put out solid torque, making it no different from a gasoline engine,” Kankkunen said. “Because they emit zero [carbon dioxide], I believe hydrogen engines will become one of the options for achieving carbon neutrality not in the world of motorsports but also in the world of everyday cars.”
The Importance Of Sound
Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann stated that driver engagement is a key factor in delivering authentic performance in sports cars, and therefore creating a sound that invokes excitement is a priority for the brand. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT EV features a “fratzonic chambered exhaust” meant to summon the aural sensation of driving one of its traditional V-8 engines. Plenty of other automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, or tuning firms like Abarth, have also set a course to replicate the aural sensation of driving a traditional ICE car. Many enthusiasts aren’t sold on the faux engine noises that are pumped in through the car’s audio system, and that is where the Yaris H2 concept could come into play by providing a more genuine exhaust note.
By combusting hydrogen instead of using the element to create electricity, the exhaust sounds enthusiasts crave from their cars could be delivered by this kind of setup. Though few automakers have taken up the hydrogen cause for powering the future automotive landscape, the Yaris H2 concept gives us hope that, if its hydrogen-combusting system catches on, that zero emissions doesn’t have to equal zero auditory pleasure. Decreasing harmful emissions is a cause we can all get behind, and the Yaris H2 concept showcases it doesn’t have to come at the expense of one of the most intriguing aspects and soul-stirring aspects of ICE cars — a great sound.