TOKYO >> A liquid hydrogen-­powered Toyota Corolla completed a 24-hour endurance race at the Fuji International Speedway in Oyama, Shizuoka prefecture, in May. It marked the first time a car running on liquid hydrogen entered a race anywhere in the world.

Toyota Motor Corp. hopes to use the severe conditions of racing to identify issues with the car that cannot be spotted through research. Its goal is to speed up development for commercial sales.

Vehicles with hydrogen-­powered engines emit very little carbon dioxide.

Toyota has entered races with Corollas fueled by hydrogen gas since May 2021, but switching to liquid hydrogen fuel increases the energy density of the fuel, doubling the cruising range.

“The potential for engine-­based decarbonization will expand,” said Toyota President Koji Sato. “There are still many challenges for mass production, but breakthroughs can be found in the field.”

Unlike fuel cell vehicles equipped with motors that run on electricity generated from hydrogen, cars with hydrogen engines can utilize parts and technologies from gasoline-­powered vehicles.

However, to store or fill up a car with liquid hydrogen, the hydrogen must be kept at a temperature lower than -423.4 degrees Fahrenheit, which requires new technologies for fuel pumps and other components.