TOYOTA

The fuel cell Hilux prototype is ready

Two years ago, Toyota announced that the British division would make an electric car out of the Hilux pickup with the help of local government subsidies and companies, and now the first working prototype has been completed. They decided on the fuel cell because it allows for a longer range and faster recharging than batteries, so the commercial vehicle can work more and spend less time waiting unnecessarily.

In relation to the Mirai, Toyota has already had practical experience with the hydrogen fuel cell for 10 years, which has been continuously developed – the latest version was installed in the nose of the pickup. The 3 gas tanks were built into the ladder chassis, they stick out downwards, so they reduce the ground clearance, the buffer battery is located under the cargo area, the drive motor is only on the rear axle. 

After about a year and a half of planning and preparation, the construction of the first fuel cell Toyota Hilux started on June 5 this year, the first prototype was built in 3 weeks, it has been continuously tested since then, and the construction of the other 9 prototypes, which will also be tested, is currently underway.

The Toyota Hilux will soon be available with a 48-volt mild hybrid drive attached to the 2.8-liter diesel engine, and the mass production of the fuel cell-electric version may take place sometime in the second half of the decade – after the generation change. 

The exact date is not yet known, because it does not depend on the vehicle itself, but on the available hydrogen well charging network.

Lővei Gergely