Hydrogen in pick-up
The Toyota Hilux always has a diesel engine in the Netherlands, but is also available with petrol engines elsewhere in the world. Now there is also a Toyota Hilux with a fuel cell on board. Indeed: he likes hydrogen!
At the end of last year, Toyota introduced the Hilux Hydrogen, a Hilux that, as its name suggests, has a fuel cell on board. This year, Toyota would send the first prototypes of the ‘hydrogen Hilux’ onto the road as part of a test project. The first Toyota Hilux with a fuel cell have now been produced.
The Toyota Hilux with this special drivetrain was developed together with a selection of English companies, a consortium in which the British government is also involved. The Hilux ‘Hydrogen’ – or H2 – has three hydrogen tanks on board and, according to Toyota, it should be able to drive more than 600 kilometers on those full tanks before needing to be refueled. The battery that stores the electricity produced by the fuel cell under the hood is housed in the cargo box. The hydrogen tanks themselves are located in the bottom of the electrically powered pick-up. The space in the cabin therefore remains intact.
Toyota says it is testing the prototypes ‘rigorously’ to ensure the “[…] to guarantee the safety and functionality” that it says it requires of a production model. The results of the pilot project will be evaluated in the coming months, after which a decision will be made whether Toyota will put the car into production. If the car actually comes, it will will hit the market sometime between 2025 and 2030.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl