By Duggan Flanakin
There are a variety of new automotive engines that developers hope will hit the commercial market in the near future. The engines are designed to run on methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, nitrogen and (surprisingly?) lithium. Another company has a donut-shaped motor that works in the wheels.
hydrogen
The Indian state of Kerala is a pioneer in the use of “green” hydrogen in transport. The Kerala Green Hydrogen Valley project, initiated by the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ALERT), creates a complete hydrogen value chain to demonstrate how hydrogen can reduce emissions across sectors.
Kerala wants to replace diesel trucks with hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks instead of battery-electric ones as they can cover long distances without sacrificing carrying capacity. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is focusing on hydrogen buses. The Kochi Water Metro project includes hydrogen boats as part of an integrated transport system.
Despite these grandiose plans, India requires hydrogen refueling infrastructure that is estimated to cost $2 million per station – well above the cost of installing charging stations for battery-electric vehicles. High-performance hydrogen fuel cell systems also need to be improved.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently boasted that a hydrogen-powered truck traveled more than 1,800 miles on a single tank of gas. The truck – the H2Rescue – is a prototype developed by the DOE in collaboration with the U.S. Army, Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, the Naval Research Lab and Accelera by Cummins. It is not yet known when and whether the test truck will be put into real operation.
The truck is powered by a Cummins Accelera hydrogen fuel cell engine combined with a 250-kilowatt traction motor and is designed for use in emergency, military and utility scenarios. With an initial 386 pounds of hydrogen in its tanks, the truck traveled California roads during rush hour at speeds between 50 and 55 miles per hour.
Methanol
German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions is developing a new dual-fuel methanol engine for the maritime industry. The MAN 175 DF-M is expected to be available by the end of 2026 to retrofit its successful MAN 175D high-speed engine. Caterpillar Marine is also working on a dual-fuel methanol engine model scheduled for field testing in 2026.
MAN's dual-fuel engine is available in configurations with 12, 16 and 20 cylinders, each with an internal diameter of 175 mm, for mechanical or electrical propulsion and on-board power generation with a power range between 1,500 and 2,000 rpm. The engine is optimized for ferries, offshore supply vessels, tugs and other work vessels. Custom versions can be fitted for superyachts and other marine applications.
The dual-fuel engine has already been awarded “Fuel Ready” certification by Det Norske Veritas, a global risk management and quality assurance organization based in Norway. The DNV certification confirms that the engine is optimized for diesel-electric and diesel-mechanical propulsion through the implementation of dual-fuel methanol technology.
Nitrogen
Dearman Engine Company has been developing and researching a liquid nitrogen engine solution for over a decade. Starting in 2014, DEC began a project in collaboration with Ricardo, E4tech, MIRA and leading UK academic and research institutions to develop a zero-emission piston engine that runs on liquid nitrogen and produces cold air as exhaust.
According to DEC, liquid nitrogen's advantages include its simple design and low production costs because it utilizes most of the existing powertrain supply chain. The engine requires minimal maintenance without sacrificing performance over its lifespan.
DEC claims that the energy provided by nitrogen engines is 700 times more powerful than hydrogen. Hydrogen engines use either combustion or electrochemical reactions, both of which must overcome problems with energy density and storage. But pressurized nitrogen drives turbines directly and with minimal energy loss.
The nitrogen engine has no exhaust emissions and low overall greenhouse gas emissions, and its fast refueling time is comparable to gasoline or diesel engines. The engine can use the waste heat from the coolant circuit to integrate it into other waste heat recovery systems. It can also provide both propulsion power and cooling.
According to DEC, this technology is of great importance for industrial applications, mining, inland waterway applications and the built environment. The only output is cold air, which results from the evaporation and expansion of cryogenic liquids. Ambient heat or low-quality waste heat is used as an energy source, with the cryogen serving as both a working medium and a heat sink.
lithium
German researchers at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau have presented a prototype of a lithium-powered quantum machine. The engine manipulates the quantum states of lithium atoms to produce energy.
The university's research highlights the engine's potential to redefine energy production and open doors to innovations such as highly efficient quantum batteries that last longer and charge faster. This technology holds promise for applications beyond engines and could potentially transform the way energy is produced and consumed across industries.
For the motor to function effectively, lithium atoms must be maintained at temperatures close to absolute zero to minimize thermal disturbances and ensure precise control over the quantum states. Magnetic fields shift atoms between the two quantum states of lithium atoms – fermion and boson states. This is the crucial step in the energy conversion process.
Researchers have found innovative ways to control the quantum states of fermions and bosons. Fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state at the same time, but bosons can have identical states. The research uncovered a method for switching between these states to optimize engine performance – but so far the prototype has only achieved 25% efficiency, lower than traditional heat engines.
The donut engine
Electric motor manufacturer Donut Lab has developed a donut-shaped wheel hub motor to power electric vehicles. The new motor has a large hole in the middle, allowing it to fit perfectly into a wheel.
The donut engine fits inside a 21-inch tire and delivers up to 845 horsepower and 3,171 pound-feet of torque while weighing just 88 pounds. The resulting elimination of drive components, half-shifts and other parts further reduces the overall weight. With no engine housed within the vehicle body, additional space is available to increase seating and cargo capacity.
Donut Lab claims that its motors are up to 50% cheaper to produce, but the wheels within the bike are heavier than traditional wheels. This means they add unsprung mass (weight under the suspension), which can negatively affect handling and braking.
The company is also developing a version of its donut engine for semi-trucks that will deliver 200 kW and 2,212 pound-feet of torque per wheel. The technology is already being used in some on-road electric bikes developed by Verge Motorcycles, Donut Lab's parent company.
BMW has also developed its own in-wheel electric motor in collaboration with the Munich technology company DeepDrive. The BMW wheel hub motor, which is currently in the testing phase, features a unique double rotor design.
This selection barely scratches the surface of the world's emerging automotive technology – but all of these reports were published within two weeks of each other in late 2024. Innovation and free markets, not government mandates, continue to determine the future of transportation.
Duggan Flanakin is a senior policy analyst at the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow who writes on a variety of public policy issues.
This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.
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