Many of us in the world of performance engines believe that the real solution to the issues with internal combustion engine emissions is not EV (though EV serves a purpose), but rather the fuel used to power ICE engines. The concept of hydrogen combustion engines has been around for eons, but it was Mike Copeland at Arrington Performance who unveiled their hydrogen-combustion LS-powered Chevy Truck at SEMA in 2022. They have continued to build on this idea and have now even been racing the truck.

Mike Copeland sat down with Lake Speed and Joe Castello on Hidden Horsepower to discuss Mike’s Hydrogen ICE engine development, the 1948 Chevy Truck, and what the future holds for Hydrogen as fuel in modern engine design. The hydrogen engine project has made significant progress over the past year, with notable accomplishments, including the creation of the first hydrogen-burning internal combustion vehicle to compete in a race, with a supercharged LS engine. The truck performed flawlessly during the race, though it ran out of its 5.3 kilograms of hydrogen after over three hours of wide-open throttle. While Copeland admits that it was his error, it goes to prove that this technology is more than viable in the market.

The LS3 doesn’t look much different from any other LS engine, except for the hydrogen valve, which is mounted on the top passenger side of the firewall.

In the video, Copeland discusses their newest hydrogen project, a Gen-3 Coyote 5.0-liter engine. By using the OEM direct-injection system to inject hydrogen directly into the cylinder, and using the stock port fuel injection system to supply water, they can control both temperature and burn rate, resulting in a 10-percent increase in horsepower. All using the factory Ford injection systems with some tuning and light modifications.

Race On Sunday, Innovate On Monday

Copeland’s Hydrogen-powered 1948 Chevy truck (technically it is his wife’s!) was taken to the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge event at SEMA, where it was driven by Aaron Overly, who had never driven the truck before, and despite being a non-race car, it performed well. Overly did a few smoke shows during the speed stop challenges.

Copeland says the truck’s performance was impressive, with the driver able to control it well, even when driving aggressively, and the hydrogen power system showed no signs of issues, despite many people being skeptical about the feasibility of using hydrogen as a fuel source. The truck was able to achieve fast lap times, and the truck was able to run for an extended period of time on the road course, using only 5.3 kgs of hydrogen, which is a significant achievement for a true liquid-hydrogen powered street truck.

The subjects of the discussion are, from left to right: Lake Speed of Total Seal, Mike Copeland of Arrington Performance, and Joe Castello of NHRA. In the 20ish-minute video podcast above, they discuss the finer points of developing a hydrogen-powered ICE engine.

A Vehicle For Oil Development

One of the largest oil additive manufacturers in the world has expressed interest in purchasing an engine running on hydrogen to test their durability schedules, which can last from to to 600 hours. Hydrogen presents a few new issues for lubrication, and oil manufacturers need to develop and test their products for use in hydrogen-powered engines. Since the engine is a GM LS-series unit, they have the opportunity to test with a known platform using a novel fuel. This collaboration with the oil additive manufacturer is a significant milestone, as there are only four companies that produce additive packages for oil, and they work with every oil company in the world. Copeland has received orders for 200 engines for a non-automotive application. Testing with the oil additive manufacturer will be crucial in ensuring the reliability and performance of these engines.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in the world of hydrogen combustion engines has been the development of a 5.3 kg tank that can refill in just five minutes, which addresses the issue of range and refueling time. Unlike EVs, Hydrogen refills take the same time as filling a gas tank. Copeland is testing the last of the dozen issues that were initially identified as major challenges and is confident that they can achieve a significant range and performance with their hydrogen-powered vehicle. “Let’s take an EV and my truck,” says Copeland. “The EV gets 300-mile range, and say I get 250 miles. I’ll stop, fill up in 5 minutes, and see you at the 500-mile mark. How long will it take you to recharge?”

This 1948 Chevy Truck was built by Copeland for his wife. It is powered by a supercharged LS3 and liquid hydrogen instead of gasoline. This truck was also run at the 2022 SEMA Optima Challenge.

The limitations of electric cars, such as charging time, are significant. In situations like natural disasters, where people may need to evacuate, the impracticality of electric cars becomes apparent, as many people trying to charge their cars at the same time can cause significant delays. Solutions like hydrogen combustion are more practical for longer-range transportation and high-power applications, and there is a growing interest in exploring alternatives to batteries.

Will Hydrogen Take Over EV?

Despite the current focus on electric vehicles, there is significant interest in hydrogen power from engineering and industry professionals, and conversations are being had about the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source. With hydrogen power gaining attention worldwide, companies and individuals from around the world are expressing interest in getting involved with hydrogen technology. The United States is investing $7 billion to build 8 to 10 hydrogen manufacturing centers, which is a significant development in the field of alternative fuels. EVs are not the best solution for all transportation needs, and hydrogen is being considered as a viable alternative for many applications, particularly where zero emissions are required. Hydrogen is a better alternative than any of the other alternative fuels currently known.

EVs are efficient, quiet, and reliable, but the power grid has not been maintained. In fact, most transmission lines and transformers are well over 25 years old, with a large amount of the current infrastructure built in the ‘60s and ‘70s. With a usable life of 50 to 80 years, much of the US’s infrastructure simply cannot handle the increased demand from EV charging stations. You won’t be able to reliably charge 30 cars at once; it just can’t be done with our current grid system. Hydrogen is another story.

It’s not just the automotive industry exploring the feasibility of hydrogen combustion. Yamaha’s hydrogen combustion outboard engine is pushing the boundaries of hydrogen in marine applications.

Just like gasoline, hydrogen refilling stations have large receiver tanks in the ground, which work well for populated areas. There is another option, however, that is truly exciting. Because hydrogen is the most abundant element on earth, hydrogen fuel can simply be generated by a small electrolysis generator at the filling station. This means that tanker trucks don’t have to travel the country filling remote service station tanks; instead, hydrogen can be generated and collected at any pump station, anywhere, anytime. No waiting three hours to charge up.

What hydrogen gets you that EV does not is true reduction in carbon footprint. Many gearheads shake their heads at environmental concerns, but most of us understand that is a real problem that will eventually destroy the internal combustion engines we hold dear. Hydrogen is the solution. The only emissions are water, something that is becoming scarcer and in shorter supply. Imagine replacing the roughly 115 million cars on the road each day in the US with hydrogen fuel, needing little more than a different fuel tank, pump, and ECM tune. Instead of smog from carbon monoxide, all those gases are now just pure water vapor. The rivers, lakes, streams and ponds would run full. The water emitted from a hydrogen combustion-powered engine is pure; you can literally drink it. It just doesn’t get much better than this.

The OEMs Are Working On Hydrogen Combustion Development, Too

Hydrogen combustion technology has seen collaboration with companies like Total Seal, which has provided critical components, such as stainless top rings, to help build a suitable engine for the application, building race engines and the potential of hydrogen combustion to produce more cylinder temperature than gasoline, with the goal of achieving durability and power.

For Mike Copeland, there is no end to the potential for Hydrogen-fueled engines. Working with OEMs, he will continue to work on this platform, as he sees it as the real solution over EVs. As gearheads who love the rumble of a cammed-up big-block, we don’t want to see internal combustion come to an end. This is why Copeland has set his sights on developing this conversion. Soon we will all come to love the smell of a clean-burning engine that makes more power than old dinosaur bones.