Ferrari has filed a patent application for a hydrogen-powered internal-combustion engine, hinting that the automaker is considering this as a way to keep combustion engines alive in a future with stricter emissions regulations.

Unlike hydrogen fuel cells, which generate electricity that is then used to power motors, hydrogen combustion engines simply burn hydrogen instead of gasoline in a process that emits no carbon dioxide. It’s not a new idea—BMW built a hydrogen-powered 7-Series in the early 2000s—but this is the first time Ferrari has publicly expressed interest in it. The automaker sees hydrogen combustion as a way to drastically reduce emissions.