Though it remains heavily vested in EVs, Ford has also made it quite clear that fully electric power isn’t quite feasible for larger trucks at the moment. Instead, the automaker is exploring the idea of hydrogen power via not only one, but two different pilot programs, which are centered around hydrogen fuel cell-powered Transit and F-550 models. While even the Ford Super Duty may go hydrogen before all-electric, the automaker has noted that these types of products will remain a bit of a niche – for now – with third-party companies already providing the powertrains for select commercial customers. However, FoMoCo isn’t the only automaker exploring this small but promising segment, as a new hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux pickup concept was just revealed in the UK.
The hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux has reportedly been in development since early last year, and utilizes the same second-generation powertrain as the Mirai sedan, which has been on sale for a number of years now. With a range of around 365 miles, development of the alternative fuel pickup was supported by government funding via the through the Advanced Propulsion Center (APC), which aims to help spur the next generation of net-zero vehicles and technologies.
With three high-pressure fuel tanks on board, the Hilux hydrogen prototype produces no tailpipe emissions other than pure water and also utilizes a battery to store electricity produced onboard by the fuel cell. That unit is positioned in the rear load deck, which Toyota says prevents it from taking away any cabin space. Now, the new pickup will undergo testing to determine its viability as a production model.
“The project team have accomplished an incredible job in a very short space of time, from creating the prototype build area to completion of the first vehicle,” said Richard Kenworthy, Toyota Manufacturing UK Managing Director. “The UK Government funding has enabled us not only to develop a new vehicle in record time, but also to upskill our teams to work on hydrogen-related technologies, something we hope to build on in the future. This is a great vote of confidence in UK manufacturing and its potential to deliver carbon-free vehicles to meet future targets.”
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Comments
Hydrogen makes much more sense than EVs. BUT, and this is a big but, if you think EV chargers are hard to find try locating a hydrogen charging location.
Every home has electricity and outlets, so you can charge overnight. As for hydrogen, one could make it at home, but you need twice the energy to make it than just store it in a battery. BTW, that truck is an EV but it will NEVER compete with the F-150 Lightning!
Yes hydrogen sounds good and promising and probably makes since for fleet vehicles. But infrastructure would be a long way off.
OK, here’s the answer to hydrogen distribution. Natural gas pipelines circumnavigate the planet, LNG can be used for the production of synthetic oil for lubrication of these hydrogen powered engines. Crude is still viable in the production of plastics etc.
Replace the gas passing through the NG pipelines with hydrogen (the most prevalent element in the Universe), produced centrally in locations all over the world to provide local distribution nodes for heating homes as well. Fuel up at home!
There are many ways to produce hydrogen, not just by the electrolyzation of water. In the space shuttle program many years ago they produced copious amounts of the rocket fuel by mixing hydrochloric acid with zinc.
There’s a company experimenting with ammonia as fuel which is NH3, leaving nitrogen as the byproduct which we breathe in anyways and comprises about 76% of the atmosphere.
Other companies have “colors” of hydrogen cleanliness depending on the method of production.
Jim Farley has already been notified of this theoretical new world of clean emission free vehicles which would revolutionize the transportation industry saving the planet and reversing global warming. Any questions?
Currently Hydrogen is made from oil and natural gas. Making it via electrolysis energy input to output ratio is imbalanced. It’s current production methods are not clean energy. Hydrogen is also one of the smallest atomic particles. As such, the loss and leakage that would occur through natural gas pipelines would be prohibitive.