Skip advert
Advertisement

Porsche simulates hydrogen power test around the Nurburgring

The virtual study used a hydrogen-powered turbocharged V8 similar to that used by the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera

Nurburgring

Porsche has been one of the more active car manufacturers when it comes to looking at alternative fuels. The firm has already started work on its new synthetic fuel production factory in Chile and now it’s started simulated hydrogen tests around the Nurburgring. 

The virtual test used what’s known as a ‘digital twin’ using an existing data set from an actual car that was then altered to take account of the virtual hydrogen engine’s new technology. Porsche says the hydrogen engine’s 590bhp “is on par with the original gasoline unit”, with revised turbocharging system and higher compression ratio.

Porsche used a “luxury-segment reference vehicle” with a kerbweight of 2,650kg, so you can expect the study to have been based on a car like the Cayenne Turbo S. The hydrogen simulation managed a respectable time of eight minutes and 20 seconds, roughly 41 seconds slower than the Cayenne Turbo GT’s SUV lap record at the Nurburgring. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Why bother? Because a hydrogen engine is so clean, it would be Euro 7 compliant without the need for the complex aftertreatment fitted to a conventional petrol engine. 

Porsche isn’t the only company looking at hydrogen power for vehicles but it cites the 67bhp per litre of displacement found in commercial hydrogen vehicles as too low. “For the passenger car sector, this is insufficient,” says Vincenzo Bevilacqua, Senior Expert Engine Simulation at Porsche Engineering. “We have therefore developed a hydrogen combustion engine that aims to match the power and torque of current high-performance gasoline engines as a concept study.”

“We have fulfilled our self-imposed project goal: the development of a clean, economical and sporty hydrogen engine, across the board,” adds Bevilacqua. Porsche also claims that although the turbocharger system and a number of mechanical components of the hydrogen engine are more complex and therefore more expensive, the cost of a hydrogen powertrain in series production could be comparable to a traditional petrol engine.

Rather than aiming to enter this engine into a production car, Porsche says the focus was on examining the potential of the “alternative drive technology and expanding the capabilities of existing engineering tools.” 

Now read more about Porsche's new synthetic fuel plant...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

On-street electric car charging gets £55million Govt. funding boost
EVs charging on the street

On-street electric car charging gets £55million Govt. funding boost

The UKs National Wealth Fund invests government cash in Connected Kerb
News
29 Jan 2025
Electric car adoption to hinge on advanced new tech that makes life easy
Tesla Model Y - main image

Electric car adoption to hinge on advanced new tech that makes life easy

Leading industry analyst says EVs’ ability to integrate with homes and smart tech will ultimately persuade buyers to go electric
News
17 Jan 2025
EV charger numbers are growing rapidly but there's one small problem
Fiat 500 connected to a Gridserve rapid charger

EV charger numbers are growing rapidly but there's one small problem

The number of public EV chargers across the UK grew by 38 per cent in 2024, but analysts are concerned about what’s being installed and regional inequ…
News
9 Jan 2025
Plug-in hybrid cars are essentially pointless and in 2025 it’s high time we all accepted that
Opinion - PHEVs

Plug-in hybrid cars are essentially pointless and in 2025 it’s high time we all accepted that

Alex Ingram explains why he believes that PHEVs aren't all they're cracked up to be
Opinion
7 Jan 2025

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: new Ford Capri looks a lot less controversial at this price
Ford Capri - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: new Ford Capri looks a lot less controversial at this price

Rebooted Seventies classic is now an electric SUV for a low monthly outlay. It’s our Deal of the Day for 5 February
News
5 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: sleek ‘n’ sporty Mazda 3 hatch at just £173 a month
Mazda 3 front corner tracking

Car Deal of the Day: sleek ‘n’ sporty Mazda 3 hatch at just £173 a month

Mazda’s high-quality family hatch might cost less than you expect with low initial payment and monthly fee
News
2 Feb 2025
Electric company car megatest: Tesla, BMW, Polestar, Hyundai and BYD head-to-head
Electric company car megatest - header

Electric company car megatest: Tesla, BMW, Polestar, Hyundai and BYD head-to-head

Drivers are spoiled for choice in the flourishing EV company car market, but which of our six rivals does the business?
Car group tests
3 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts