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Yamaha’s Hydrogen Engine – the Future at Toronto Boat Show

Yamaha Hydrogen Engine

Canadian Boating’s Andy Adams checks out Yamaha’s hydrogen engine prototype  Photos: Matthew Channer

Feb 13, 2025

By Mathew Channer

Yamaha showcased their prototype hydrogen combustion outboard engine at the Toronto International Boat Show this year, offering visitors an inside look at what completely sustainable vessel propulsion might look like.

Possibly the only hydrogen combustion outboard in the world at this stage, Yamaha’s motor is still under development. It’s designed to be operated on a vessel with mounted hydrogen tanks, which would pump gaseous hydrogen into the motor at approximately 10,000psi. The gas would combust in piston chamber, generate energy, and create water vapor as a byproduct.

While accurate data on performance is yet to be determined, the motor is roughly 450hp, with a 5.8L engine.   Yamaha spokesperson Andrew MacDonald says that Yamaha is very excited about the development.

“The switch from gas to EV is not going to be overnight,” Andrews feels. “We need to find multiple paths to get to carbon neutrality, and this is one of the paths that Yamaha is exploring to get us there.”

cutaway engine showing engineering detail

While on the exterior the hydrogen combustion outboard looks very similar to a gas outboard, the inner workings are significantly different, with new styles of injectors and cylinder head to support hydrogen combustion.

The motor still has a long way to go to reach commerciality. The end goal for hydrogen powered boats is that hydrogen fuel can be generated from the water through onboard processes and the vapor created by combustion returned to the water, creating a theoretically limitless environmentally friendly fuel supply.

Although it hasn’t been tested on water, Yamaha has successfully operated the prototype hydrogen motor in controlled lab environments.  The hydrogen motor is being developed in partnership with Toyota and Roush Industries.

Learn more about the hydrogen combustion engine prototype In the Engineering Explained video on YouTube!

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