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NEWS
Toyota champions fuel-cell truck
Japanese car giant applies fuel-cell technology to semi-trailerJapanese automotive giant Toyota has taken the lessons learned in its 'Mirai' hydrogen fuel-cell passenger car and applied them to a 36-tonne GCM semi-trailer.
The concept truck will be used to haul loads from the port of Los Angeles to nearby Long Beach, allowing Toyota to further assess its suitability as a feasible, clean commercial vehicle.
The hydrogen fuel-cell powerplant produces sufficient power without any tailpipe emissions, while it's largely silent in operation.
The heavy-duty vehicle is the latest step in Toyota's 'Project Portal', where the company explores a range of industries for the suitability of zero-emission, fuel-cell technology.
Using two Mirai fuell-cell stacks and a 12kWh battery, the concept truck has all the power it needs to carry out its task – over 500kW and nearly 1800Nm – while emitting nothing but water vapour.
Toyota claims the truck has a GCM of 36.2 tonnes and a range of 320 kilometres per fill.
Toyota is ploughing significant resources into furthering its hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Its Mirai passenger car is already on sale in Japan, the US and Europe, in areas supported by the required infrastructure.
The car was demonstrated in Australia in late 2016, while the model is undergoing testing in China to assess its suitability in that market.
Toyota Motor North America executive vice president, Bob Carter, said Toyota believes the fuel source has immense potential.
"Toyota is a leader in expanding the use of versatile and scalable zero-emission technology," he said.
"With Project Portal, we're proud to help explore the societal benefits of a true zero-emission heavy-duty truck platform."
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has applauded the truck's unveiling, with CARB chair Mary D. Nichols saying the vehicle is opening new horizons.
"By bringing this heavy-duty, zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell proof-of-concept truck to the port, Toyota has planted a flag that we hope many others will follow," she said.
Toyota's fuel-cell truck appears to have beaten several other alternative-fuel-source heavy vehicles to become a fully functioning concept, if not a production vehicle. Established manufacturers and new tech-savvy start-ups are racing to produce the first saleable low or no-emissions heavy vehicle, with companies such as Nikola Motor Company, Tesla, Hino and Daimler, among others, all investing significant time and effort to deliver the first blow.
With range, payload and refuelling infrastructure all critical hurdles to be overcome, the first viable low or zero-emissions trucks promise to deliver major dividends for their creators. Watch this space…
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Written byTrucksales Staff
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