TOYOTA

Hilux pick-up with hydrogen fuel cell in advanced development phase

Following the evolution of customer demand and Toyota's integral focus on mobility in all sectors, the company identified a new opportunity in the commercial vehicle market, related to the offer of emission-free products.

Toyota obtained the subsidy it requested last year from the British Center for Advanced Propulsion (APC), presenting a project to contribute to the development of new cleaner technologies and mobility solutions. The APC plays a key role in the British motorsport landscape, and offers unique opportunities to bridge the gap between the industry and future technology requirements. This grant concretely promotes advanced R D projects that take a product from concept test to prototype vehicle.

The consortium, led by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMMUK) will receive a grant to cover the development of a fuel cell powered Hilux. In collaboration with British companies specializing in technical engineering, such as Ricardo, ETL, D2H and Thatcham Research, the project aims to adopt components from Toyota's second-generation fuel cell (such as those used in the latest Toyota Mirai) for the transformation of a Hilux on a fuel cell electric vehicle. While TMUK will lead the project, a Toyota Motor Europe (TME) R D team will provide specialist technical assistance so that the UK based teams can specialize and develop new generation hydrogen systems themselves.

For more than 20 years, Toyota has promoted several strategic paths to achieving carbon neutrality, offering a diverse lineup of vehicles that included all electrified technologies: electric hybrids, plug-in hybrid electrics, battery electrics and fuel cell electrics. The development of a thriving hydrogen-based transport sector is an essential pillar in achieving this goal. Within the scope of the program, the initial prototypes will be produced at the TMUK factory in Burnaston during 2023. Once the desired results have been achieved, the objective is to prepare the production of a reduced series. This project represents an exciting opportunity to research an additional application of Toyota's fuel cell technology in a vehicle segment that is critical to many industry groups, and will help drive the industry's drive towards decarbonization.

“The United Kingdom is one of the main markets for pick-ups and is also an important market for Toyota. This grant represents a magnificent opportunity to develop an emission-free solution in a critical market segment. We would like to thank the British government for funding which will enable the consortium to research the development of a fuel cell system for the Toyota Hilux, in line with our carbon neutral objectives,” commented Matt Harrison, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.

About the consortium:

Ricardo - International strategic engineering and environmental consultant specializing in the transport, energy and scarce resources sectors. They will contribute to the technical integration of fuel cell components into the Hilux chassis.

ETL - European Thermodynamics is dedicated to providing high integrity thermal solutions through design excellence and innovation. They will collaborate with the contribution of state-of-the-art thermal management solutions.

D2H - The D2H business group provides advanced technological engineering services in the fields of simulation, modeling, aerodynamics, thermodynamics and design for motorsport and other high-performance sectors. Your knowledge of thermodynamics will be crucial for the project.

Thatcham Research - The company was formed by the motor insurance industry in 1969 with the specific aim of containing and reducing the cost of motor insurance claims without lowering safety standards. They will provide assistance in terms of crash safety and insurance assessments.

Autonews