The Combustion Engine Isn’t Dead
It’s Just Getting a Makeover
Akio Toyoda, when asked about electric sports cars, famously said that for him, as a “master driver,” a real sports car means “the smell of gasoline and a noisy engine.” (Shoutout to Carscoops for catching that gem.)
Honestly? Same.
We love a good EV launch as much as the next roller coaster fan. In fact, I’ve always equated launching in an EV to the acceleration of a slingshot coaster—instant torque, neck-snapping speed, pure thrill. But for me? It’s not the same without the roar of thousands of tiny explosions under the hood flinging you forward like a rocket.
I posit 0–60 in 7 seconds with a V8 > 0–60 in 4 with an EV.
There’s just something visceral about internal combustion. The shake. The rumble. The way your whole body knows you’re driving.
And now, it turns out we might not have to give that up after all.
Enter: Synthetic Fuel and Japan’s ICE Comeback Tour
Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, and Daihatsu are teaming up with ENEOS—Japan’s biggest oil company (not to be confused with INEOS, the British chemical company that makes the Grenadier) to keep the combustion dream alive in a brave, new, carbon-neutral world.
The plan? Develop synthetic fuels made from renewable hydrogen and captured CO₂. These blends can run in both future and existing ICEs, meaning no need to mothball your vintage Supra or LS-swapped Range Rover Classic.
Even better, Toyota’s already deep in development on a new line of compact, efficient 1.5L and 2.0L engines designed specifically to run on these fuels. Think clean burn, dirty sound.
Why It Matters (Especially Here in SoCal)
Here in Los Angeles, the car scene is more than transportation—it’s a shared language. From the deep canyons of Malibu to impromptu meetups in Torrance parking lots, our connection to cars is personal, loud, and very much alive.
And while we’ve welcomed EVs into the club (have you heard a Taycan rip through a tunnel?), there's still something sacred about the internal combustion soundtrack bouncing off the Pacific Coast cliffs at golden hour.
California’s always been a bit of a paradox—home to both global car culture and some of the world’s most progressive environmental policies. We birthed the lowrider and the smog check. We cruise V8s through cities that also mandate EV-only fleets. And it’s exactly this kind of balancing act that we need more of.
Take Jay’s Law, for example. A recent move to protect classic and collector vehicles while still acknowledging cleaner air goals. It’s not about wiping out the past. It’s about evolving smartly.
This synthetic fuel push? It might just be the next step in that evolution—a bridge between a cleaner future and the irreplaceable magic that ICE engines bring to the table.
Reality Check (With a Wink)
Yes, the tech is still young. Yes, it’s pricey. And yes, we’ve got a long road before it becomes accessible to the average weekend canyon-carver. But the fact that five automakers (and a heavyweight petroleum player like ENEOS) are this deep into the game means it's more than hype. It’s a blueprint.
And they're planning to show it off at Expo 2025 in Osaka with live demos and running vehicles.
Bottom Line?
This isn’t the end of ICE—it might just be its rebirth. A cleaner, guilt-free version of the thing we love. One that still growls, vibrates, and makes you grin like an idiot every time you rev it.
Basically, it’s like oat milk… for gearheads.
Smells like victory.
(Well, maybe less like gas… but still.)