But Toyota executives mentioned the fireplace, which occurred throughout a personal check run at Fuji International Speedway, was unrelated to the automotive’s adoption of hydrogen gas as an alternative of gasoline.
The trigger, the corporate mentioned, was a pipe joint loosened by car vibration.
“What I want everyone to understand today is that hydrogen was not the cause of this problem,” Tomoya Takahashi, president of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing Company, mentioned at a briefing.
“Rather, it as the insufficient consideration of our design work,” he mentioned. “Whatever fuel we used could have leaked and caught fire.”
Despite the setback, Toyoda himself ordered the crew to proceed engaged on the liquid hydrogen combustion expertise, Takahashi mentioned. The firm needs to have the automotive prepared for the following endurance collection race in late May. That race will probably be a 24-hour run at Fuji Speedway.
Toyoda additionally won’t let the incident deter him from buckling up within the car. “He will continue to drive this vehicle because he is determined to show the safety of hydrogen,” Takahashi mentioned.
The leak occurred close to the engine, and the hydrogen ignited due to the warmth. A failsafe leak sensor mechanically shut off the hydrogen provide, forestalling a wider hearth.
The pipe joint might have loosened partly as a result of the liquid hydrogen drivetrain weighs about 300 kilograms (661 kilos) greater than the gaseous hydrogen system, aggravating the vibration. About 100 kilograms (220 kilos) of that weight is because of further security tools. The joint segments are additionally changed after each race, opening the potential for an set up error.
Toyota remains to be bother taking pictures the basis trigger and treatment, Takahashi mentioned.
Source: europe.autonews.com