Hydrogen under the hood: Ferrari explores hydrogen combustion

Ferrari has filed a patent for a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine, signalling interest in low-emission performance technology.

Unlike fuel cells, which use h2 to generate electricity for an electric motor, this approach burns the fuel directly in an internal combustion engine. This cuts carbon dioxide emissions while preserving the traditional engine sound, mechanical feedback and driving feel. 

This marks Ferrari’s first public move into hydrogen. The patent suggests emissions would be minimal, but not zero. Ferrari acknowledges that cars would need to be larger and heavier to match petrol range due to hydrogen’s lower energy density.

Infrastructure challenges remain, and it’s unclear if Ferrari plans to prototype the technology. But with Porsche pursuing synthetic fuels and Toyota actively racing hydrogen-powered engines, Ferrari may be exploring combustion engines as its route to a cleaner future.

Read more: Ferrari patents hydrogen internal-combustion engine