A project to develop a hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Hilux pick-up has moved to its final phase.
Since the unveiling of the first prototype vehicle in September last year, 10 fuel cell Hilux prototypes have been built at the manufacturer’s Burnaston facility in Derbyshire.
Currently, five of these are undergoing rigorous field testing to assess safety, performance, functionality and durability, generating test drive data in real-world situations.
A further five vehicles are engaged in customer and media demonstrations, including at the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
The project began with a feasibility study in early 2022 which enabled subsequent UK government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre
With an expected driving range of up to 373 miles, power is delivered using core elements from the fuel cell system featured in the Toyota Mirai.
Hydrogen is stored in three high-pressure fuel tanks, each containing 2.6kg to give a total capacity of 7.8kg.
Tanks are mounted within the vehicle’s ladder frame chassis, while the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack contains 330 cells and is mounted above the front axle.
The fuel cell Hilux is rear-wheel drive, via an e-motor on the rear axle delivering a maximum 134kW and 300Nm of torque.
When the vehicle is driven, the fuel cell produces no tailpipe emissions, only pure water.
A lithium-ion battery stores the electricity produced on board by the fuel cell.
In its announcement, Toyota UK said: “The fuel cell Hilux prototype project is an important stepping stone to the further development of hydrogen technology and stimulate a wider roll-out of hydrogen eco-systems and infrastructure across Europe.”
