Feb 4, 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 very much under development. It’s designed to be operated on a vessel with mounted hydrogen tanks, which would pump gaseous hydrogen into the motor at about 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.  

While the hydrogen motor appeared at Miami International Boat Show last year, this was its first appearance in Canada.

Yamaha spokesperson Andrew McDonald says that Yamaha is very excited about the development.

“The switch from gas to EV is not going to be overnight,” he said. “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.”

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.

While both the hydrogen motor and its fuel technology are still under development, the end goal for hydrogen powered boats is that hydrogen fuel can be generated from water and the vapor created by combustion returned to the water, creating a theoretically limitless environmentally friendly fuel supply.

While 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 on YouTube!