Toyota unveils heavy-duty hydrogen driveline
Toyota is to launch a hydrogen fuel-cell heavy-truck driveline in North America after gaining official approval for it as a Zero Emissions Powertrain from the Californian Air Resources Board (CARB).
The Japanese automotive giant is offering a complete kit including gas tanks, batteries, electric motors, transmissions and fuel cells in an integrated package ready for installation into a third-party heavy-duty truck complete with CARB approval.
Production is due to start in Toyota’s Kentucky plant later this year, and trucks using the system may be eligible for government incentives including The Clean Truck Fund, and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive. Further local subsidies may also be available.
Toyota started working on heavy-duty fuel cell drivelines in 2017, and later joined forces with Kenworth, which, like European manufacturer DAF, is a subsidiary of Paccar, in the development of the technology.
