Behind In Evs, Toyota Powering Ahead With Hydrogen Vehicles

Looking at the bigger economic picture, Pierre Fillon, president of ACO and co-president of MissionH24, emphasized decarbonizing mobility, the energy transition to zero emissions, and the need to develop alternatives to battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs).

Asked about the woeful state of the European auto industry, which is under severe pressure from Chinese EVs, high fuel prices and weak consumer demand, Frederic Lequien, CEO of Le Mans Endurance Management, pointed out that motorsport is attracting more fans every year, including a rising percentage of women.

As more fans buy more cars, it is generating a high return on investment for participating automakers.

Kazuki Nakajima, Vice Chairman of Toyota Racing, told reporters that as Toyota's relationship with MissionH24 expands from the provision of aerodynamics and cooling technology to the hydrogen internal-combustion engine, they can further develop the infrastructure and supply chain for hydrogen-powered endurance racing.

Toyota has been demonstrating hydrogen-powered racing vehicles since 2021. Its hydrogen fuel cell R&D dates back to 1992, when it established an Electric Vehicle Development Division to develop both electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. After developing a series of prototypes, Toyota put a small number of FCHVs on sale in Japan and the US in 2002.

Toyota introduced the Mirai, the first mass-produced commercial fuel cell passenger car, in 2014. About 25,000 of them were sold through 2023, over half of them in California, about 30% in Japan and the rest in Europe.

But sales dropped rapidly after that due to inadequate fueling infrastructure and competition from EVs and hybrids. Priced at more than 8 million yen ($50,000) in Japan, a new Mirai is also relatively expensive. Resale value has plummeted in California, and they are rarely seen on Japanese roads.

Honda also introduced its FCX (Fuel Cell eXperimental) in 2002 but has sold even fewer hydrogen-powered passenger cars than Toyota. Hyundai Motor's NEXO is now the category leader, but it sells only a few thousand vehicles each year. Toyota is collaborating with BMW to develop hydrogen passenger-car technology, but its main effort outside motorsport is now in the truck market.

On September 15, Toyota and seven European companies – Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, Bosch, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, TEAL Mobility and MB Energy – revealed plans to accelerate the roll-out of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles in Europe. The announcement was made at IAA Transportation, the world's premier trade exhibition dedicated to trucks and other commercial vehicles.

Held every other year by Deutsche Messe AG in Hanover, IAA Transportation aims to advance carbon neutrality in logistics and transport. Its coverage includes electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles; fleet operations; biofuels; connected and autonomous vehicles; logistics systems; charging and fueling infrastructure; and urban mobility.

Supported by Germany's hydrogen truck infrastructure, Volvo Group and Daimler are rolling out trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines. Toyota serves as a technology partner, drawing on its long experience in fuel cell R&D and vehicle production, which dates back to the 1990s.

In July, the three companies signed a binding agreement making Toyota an equal partner in cellcentric, a joint venture that develops and produces hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy-duty commercial applications.

Bosch, also a fuel cell maker, supplies components and refueling technologies for liquid and gaseous hydrogen. Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, MB Energy and TEAL Mobility (a 50/50 joint venture between TotalEnergies and Air Liquide) supply the hydrogen. The goal is to establish a European hydrogen-powered trucking industry competitive with diesel by 2030.