The Toyota Hilux is being prepared to receive a fuel cell version

Toyota has secured the grant offered by the UK Advanced Propulsion Centre for the development of technologies aimed at sustainable mobility. With that funding, the British division of the Japanese company, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMMUK), has formed an alliance with several companies to create a prototype of the Toyota Hilux powered by the energy produced by a hydrogen fuel cell.

The companies collaborating with Toyota are Ricardo, ETL, D2H and Thatcham Research. With the collaboration of all of them, the aim is to transfer the fuel cell technology used in the new Toyota Mirai to the Hilux. This pick-up will be converted to this technology and could be a very interesting option, ahead of the electric models that are about to arrive.

The project will be carried out mainly by TMMUK, although it will receive support from Toyota Motor Europe (TME). This division will contribute the company’s experience and technology so that the team based in the United Kingdom can develop the project on its own.

The TMMUK plant in Burnaston will be responsible for producing the first prototypes that will undergo testing. Once the vehicles pass these tests, they will move on to produce a limited series, which will be put on sale. With the support of the technology partners, Toyota could consider a future hydrogen fuel cell pick-up. This type of vehicle is already being used by many commercial and industrial segments, but it would have the capabilities of one of these models, with the advantage of a longer range.

The partners of Toyota in this project are Ricardo, an international strategic engineering and environmental consultancy specialising in the transport, energy and scarce resources sectors; ETL (European Thermodynamics), which is dedicated to providing high-integrity thermal solutions; D2H, which provides advanced engineering services in the fields of simulation, modelling, aerodynamics, thermodynamics and design for motorsport and other high-performance sectors; and Thatcham Research, which will provide support on crash safety and insurance ratings.