GAC Group: ammonia combustion engines in China

By Julian Atchison on July 03, 2023

Graphic visualisation of GAC’s new ammonia combustion engine for passenger cars. Source: GAC Group.
Click to learn more. Graphic visualisation of GAC’s new ammonia combustion engine for passenger cars. Source: GAC Group.

Chinese automotive manufacturer GAC Group has unveiled its first ammonia-powered engine for passenger cars at a recent showcase event in Guangzhou. The engine was developed by GAC’s R&D unit, and “achieves reliable fuel ignition with 120kW power and a 90% carbon reduction rate”. In 2021 GAC unveiled a hydrogen-powered car engine, claiming a thermal efficiency of 44%. The showcase event also saw the release of a passenger vehicle able to run on liquid hydrogen fuel.

Progress on ammonia internal combustion engines has been narrowly focused on the maritime sector in recent years. Several university-led R&D consortiums have been progressing research on the laboratory benchtop, tractor demonstrations have been carried out in Minnesota and Iowa, and a heavy trucking demonstration was carried out in Canada.