Toyota & Hino to Introduce Light-Duty Fuel Cell Electric Trucks
Toyota Motor Corporation and Hino Motors Ltd, together with Seven Eleven Japan Co Ltd, FamilyMart Co Ltd and Lawson Inc, have agreed to jointly consider introducing light duty fuel cell electric trucks and to establish an environment for its widespread use in the future, targeting the realization of a sustainable society that takes into account global warming and energy diversification.
The main points of the agreement are as follows
In 2021, Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson will conduct a trial operation of light-duty FCETs (max. payload: 3 tons) jointly developed by Toyota and Hino, to verify its practicality and convenience as part of considerations for its roll out.
In the evaluation of the trial operations, Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson will verify delivery by light-duty FCETs in logistics between multiple distribution centers and stores, to see whether or not continued trials are viable in 2022 and beyond, from the perspectives of businesses and the society.
Following this, in 2022 and beyond, they will work to identify various issues relating to convenience, such as positioning of hydrogen stations, hydrogen supply, filling capability, and operating hours, in their actual use in the market, as well as the purchase of vehicles and cost of hydrogen fuel, toward future popularization.
The parties will propose improvements in addressing these issues, and collaborate with the national and local authorities, and hydrogen station operators, to advance discussions on the necessary support and cooperative systems required to build effective mechanisms that lead to reduced CO2 emissions through the future widespread introduction of FCETs.
Truck operations underpin the daily logistics of convenience stores that support people's daily lives. In particular, delivery trucks that distribute products such as pre-packed meals handle multiple delivery operations in one day, and are required to drive long distances over extended hours. Fuel cell vehicles that run on hydrogen, which has a higher energy density, are considered effective under such operating conditions that require them to have sufficient cruising range and load capacity as well as fast refueling capability. The cruising range for light-duty FCETs developed by Toyota and Hino will be set at approximately 400 km, aiming to meet high standards in both environmental performance and transport efficiency expected as a commercial vehicle.
Source - Strategic Research Institute