Toyota moves closer to zero-emission heavy-duty fuel cell truck production

Toyota has taken another step in the direction of producing zero-emission heavy-duty fuel cell trucks. The company's next-generation fuel cell electric technology is now powering a new set of Class 8 heavy-duty trucks.

The set of production-intent prototype trucks have been developed using the same fuel cell system as the all-new 2021 Toyota Mirai sedan. The Class 8 trucks are being prepared to run drayage routes at the ports of LA and Long Beach to validate their performance, efficiency and drivability.

The new fuel cell electric system has been adapted to a Kenworth T680 chassis in the latest prototypes and has been designed to be flexible enough to meet the needs of a wide variety of OEM truck makers.

Toyota aims to almost completely eliminate CO2 emissions from its vehicles, operations and supply chain by 2050.

The new prototypes get a more compact hydrogen storage cabinet that houses six hydrogen tanks with the same capacity as previous prototypes with a new and more powerful lithium-ion battery. The battery helps smooth out the power flow to the electric motors. This configuration on the next generation fuel cell system delivers over 300 miles of range at a full load weight of 80,000 lbs.

All this while, Toyota says, the trucks demonstrate exceptional drivability, quiet operation, and zero emissions. "These new prototypes not only use production-intent hardware, they will also allow us to start looking beyond drayage into broader applications of this proven technology," says Andrew Lund, Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor North America Reseach and Development. "This is an important step in the transition to emissions-free heavy-duty trucks."

As a part of the Environmental Challenge 2050, Toyota aims to almost completely eliminate CO2 emissions from its vehicles, operations and supply chain by 2050.