Toyota to develop hydrogen train and truck technology

15/10/2020

Toyota is extending its hydrogen research to develop fuel cell trucks and trains in the future.

Toyota is developing a Class 8 Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) for North America providing heavy duty transport with clean emissions.

The first demonstration vehicle is expected to be launched in the first half of 2021.

Meanwhile Japan Railways, Hitachi and Toyota are working to develop hybrid hydrogen fuel cell trains.

The new consortium, called Railway Company, have entered into an agreement to develop test railway vehicles equipped with hybrid systems that use hydrogen-powered fuel cells and storage batteries as their electric power source

The project will create fuel cell test trains with the aim of achieving the high-power output control necessary to drive railway vehicles.

Toyota will develop the fuel cell device and Hitachi the hybrid drive system in the test train. It will have the nickname Hybari (Hydrogen-Hybrid Advanced Rail vehicle for Innovation).

Testing is scheduled to start in March 2022 on the JR East Tsurumi Line, Nambu Line.

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