Toyota Joins Volvo and Daimler in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Venture
News
Toyota Motor Corporation has agreed to become an equal partner in Cellcentric, a joint venture focused on developing and producing hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles. This move comes after Toyota signed a non-binding agreement with Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG, who currently jointly own the venture.
Cellcentric was established in 2021 when Daimler Truck and Volvo Group combined their fuel cell development efforts. The company has approximately 560 employees and holds around 700 patents related to hydrogen fuel cells. They are also building a large-scale production facility for fuel cell systems in Europe.
What Toyota Brings to the Table:
Toyota has been involved with hydrogen fuel cell technology since the 1990s, launching the Mirai fuel cell passenger car in 2014. The second-generation Mirai delivers up to 182 bhp and produces only water as a byproduct. They have also developed heavy-duty fuel cell trucks in collaboration with Hino Motors, participating in commercial pilots in California with Kenworth.
The partnership between Toyota and Cellcentric will focus on developing and producing unit cells, the core component of fuel cells. This collaborative effort combines Toyota’s expertise in cell production with Cellcentric’s knowledge of heavy-duty vehicle applications.
Why Hydrogen for Trucks?
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is particularly suitable for long-haul commercial vehicles due to:
- Refueling time: Fuel cell trucks can be refueled quickly, similar to traditional diesel trucks.
- Range: Prototypes have demonstrated ranges exceeding 1000 km per fill, aligning with typical long-haul trucking operations.
- Weight: Unlike battery electric trucks, hydrogen fuel cells do not add significant weight to the vehicle.