Toyota is cranking up its focus on commercial fuel cell vehicles of all kinds
The automaker is powering everything from mobile offices to food trucks using hydrogen.
Toyota’s interest in fuel cell vehicles is hardly a secret, as it has been one of the most outspoken automakers regarding the potential of hydrogen as a way to decarbonize the transportation industry.
Though its Mirai passenger car has made the most headlines, the company is using H2 in many other ways.
Over the last few years, Toyota has been developing everything from mobile offices to garbage trucks and food trucks as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The company is aiming to open people’s eyes to the potential this technology has to offer in providing commercial transportation by using hydrogen to generate electricity that will power an electric motor without any greenhouse gas emissions.
Companies are beginning to test the technology for the first time to discover what it has to offer commercial transport. For instance, in October, a hydrogen-powered café truck was set up in Japan’s Oita Prefecture in front of the Hita Municipal Government Building. It was parked there for the last day of the international Tour de Kyushu road cycling race.
Toyota manufactured the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as a trial for this purpose.
The company based the truck on the HiAce van it sells in Australia. It had a fuel cell system built in that matched the system in the Mirai. Beyond the truck itself, the hydrogen also powered the refrigerator and three induction cooktops.
New Toyota HYDROGEN HiAce Prototype With V6 Turbo Engine – Image Source: Planet Car News YouTube
“There is no trouble whatsoever even if I use an induction cooktop and an espresso machine, appliances that consume much electricity, simultaneously,” said Hazebo Coffee’s Ken Nagata after testing the café truck’s capabilities. “Our customers can relax quietly.”
Toyota food trucks.
Typically, food trucks require electric generators to power their equipment. This involves exhaust fumes and noise that are unpleasant for operators and customers alike, not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions they produce.
Three of these food truck fuel cell vehicles were made by Toyota for the trial period. Two are used upon request for events taking place in Japan, and the other is used at the Koriyama outdoor restaurant in Fukushima Prefecture.
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