Toyota announces that it has identified a new opportunity in the commercial vehicle market to offer zero-emission products: indeed, the Japanese manufacturer will develop the use of energy hydrogen in their vehicles.

For him, Toyota secured funding from the Advanced Propulsion Center (APC) to develop new environmentally friendly technologies and new mobility solutions. This government body plays a fundamental role in the British automotive landscape, participating in the funding of projects aimed at the development of automotive technology.

Toyota Hilux: prototype with a hydrogen engine

The first project to benefit from this initiative is the development of a prototype Toyota Hilux feeds on a hydrogen fuel cell. Toyota teamed up with UK engineering partners Ricardo, ETL, D2H and Thatcham Research to complete this project:

“The UK is one of the main markets for vans and an important market for Toyota. This funding provides an excellent opportunity to develop zero-emission solutions in a critical market segment. We would like to thank the UK Government for the funding which will enable the consortium to explore the development of a fuel cell drivetrain for the Toyota Hilux, supporting our ambitions to offset carbon emissions.”said Matt Harrison, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.

The Toyota Hilux pickup line is enriched with a new finish called GR Sport with a more sporty spirit. https://t.co/noHFkkTpTC

— AutoPlus (@AutoPlusMag) January 4, 2022

Toyota Hilux Hydrogen: an ambitious project

The purpose of this project is to adapt the components Toyota fuel cells of the second generationspecifically in the latest Toyota Mirai to convert the Hilux pickup truck into an electric vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

The project will be led by the brand’s UK-based teams, while Toyota Motor Europe’s research and development team will provide technical support to enable the UK-based teams to develop their own technical expertise to develop next-generation hydrogen powertrains. .

Toyota Hilux Hydrogen: towards carbon neutrality

For more than 20 years, Toyota has strived to achieve carbon neutrality offering a range of electrified vehicles including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electrics and fuel cells. The development of hydrogen energy is an important axis for achieving this goal.

The first prototypes will be produced at the Toyota plant in Burnaston, England, in 2023 year : the aim is to prepare for production in small batches. This project provides an opportunity to explore Toyota’s fuel cell technology in the utility pickup segment, which is important for a number of companies and industries to achieve decarbonization.

We begin development of the Toyota Hilux hydrogen fuel cell prototype at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in the UK 👉 https://t.co/z2GLiz0Mhp#hydrogen #fuel cell #pickup #ToyotaHilux pic.twitter.com/k0J1DdJ5kx

—Toyota Europe (@toyota_europe) December 2, 2022