Idemitsu Kosan has invested in i Labo, a Japanese startup company developing and selling hydrogen engines, and will begin collaborating. In this collaboration, Idemitsu will verify the suitability of the engine oil it provides for hydrogen engines and consider developing a dedicated oil.

i Labo uses its technology to improve existing diesel engines and develop hydrogen engines for trains, trucks, and generators. i Labo recently increased its capital for the main purpose of building a research facility, the Aichi Hekinan R&D Center (scheduled to open in early autumn 2025).

Idemitsu will support the practical application of engine oil from the perspective of research and development. Idemitsu will provide engine oil to the bench test machine and actual machine being developed by i Labo, and both companies will verify the suitability for hydrogen engines.

Based on the verification results, Idemitsu will work with i Labo to consider the development of dedicated engine oil for hydrogen engines.