Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC) has announced that it has developed an engine that runs on ammonia as an alternative to gasoline and other fossil fuels. This will be the first-ever car engine to have an ammonia-powered engine. It further expands the energy options available to carmakers.

The Chinese automobile brand says it overcame the difficult aspect of ammonia being unable to burn quickly allowing it to debut that tech in the passenger car industry. GAC says it is excited about the value this development brings to society and the potential commercial uses. The new ammonia-powered engine was unveiled as part of GAC’s annual technology showcase. The event also saw the display of the brand’s Gove flying car and the Trumpchi hybrid-hydrogen minivan. The hybrid-hydrogen platform is being promoted by Japanese automaker Toyota.

The new GAC ammonia engine provides another cleaner carbon-free energy solution. GAC had to overcome the low flammability and high nitrogen oxide emission in the development of the engine. It says the 2.0-liter engine can turn liquid ammonia in a safe and more efficient manner. The engine is capable of achieving 120kW of power and a 90% reduction in carbon emissions. The new development keys squarely into GAC’s larger plans for the green energy transition in China mainly.

GAC is state-owned and its EV brand Aion is currently the third best-selling EV brand in China. Only BYD and Tesla outperformed Aion in the Chinese automotive market. Work on ammonia as an alternative energy solution in cars had previously been focused mainly on heavy-duty vehicles like trucks. Ammonia being a toxic substance, required a high-safety architecture that was previously unavailable in passenger cars. Safety protocols for ammonia are already in place for some industries in the handling and transportation of ammonia, which has long been used as a fertilizer.

It will be interesting to see the introduction of ammonia-powered cars in the passenger car industry. GAC hopes to deploy its ammonia-based car engine technology on a larger scale commercially very soon. Such a vehicle will however need to scale several safety requirements from regulatory bodies before it becomes a reality.

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