Hydrogen

Toyota is either two steps ahead of almost everyone else in the car industry - or is set to waste untold millions on an unpopular technology.Despite the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) as well as the surge of interest in plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) the Japanese brand remains committed to hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) technology.Currently only Toyota and Hyundai are invested in the technology in Australia, which means not only are their limited models - the Toyota Mirai and the upcoming new Hyundai Nexo - but as even Toyota puts it almost “non-existent” refueling locations. In fact, Hyundai’s head office hydrogen station is the only refueler available in Sydney.But despite the lack of infrastructure for both refuelling and producing hydrogen fuel for vehicles, Toyota remains steadfast in its belief that its time will come. So much so it has committed to introduce the HiLux FCEV by 2028, which will join the diesel and EV variants of the popular ute.However, in order to ensure there is customer interest in the niche technology, Toyota is having to enter the fuel market and will produce its own hydrogen at its Centre of Excellence in Altona, Victoria. While Toyota has been a reluctant entrant into the EV market - with only the HiLux, bZ4X and bZ4X Touring offered locally - the company believes its investment in hydrogen will ultimately pay-off in the long-term. “ So we've been investing, like we were investing in hybrid technology development for quite a long time, we've been doing that with hydrogen as well, for a long time,” explained John Pappas, Toyota Australia’s head of sales and marketing.“We've had two generations of Mirai now in hydrogen - and we've learnt a lot. They've been lease programs with fleet customers. We understand exactly, to your point, that the infrastructure is pretty much non-existent. You can't get any scale. And that's been the big challenge, because the only way you can reduce the cost of hydrogen is by producing more and getting the scale.“So in order for us to do that, we've invested in Altona Centre of Excellence. We've invested in a hydrogen centre, and that is production storage of hydrogen. So we are now also investing in what we call relocatable refuelers, right?"So for example, when we bring the Hilux FCEV to market, we know that based on the infrastructure, like you're saying, you can't go to the bowser."So we're going to have to provide the ecosystem to some extent. There's many partners in this ecosystem of hydrogen, right? Viva Energy, and there's many partners, but in order to support the customer as we bring hydrogen fuel cell in, we're looking at supporting them also with relocatable refuelers,” he said.That’s right, Toyota will not only supply HiLux FCEV to fleet customers, but will also provide the fuel and refuellers to ensure they can keep running. It would be the equivalent of a car maker refining its own oil into petrol and then providing remote refuelling tankers. But such is Toyota’s belief in the long-term viability of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that it is willing to make the commitment.“ We'll produce the hydrogen in Altona, we've got an electrolyzer there,” Pappas told CarsGuide.“So we'll produce hydrogen, we'll then transport the hydrogen to locations that we've got the HiLux FCEV fleet base, in order to basically be able to refuel our customers, right? Now, obviously to do that you’ve got to partner with other people."Hyundai's been one of those partners for us, where we've actually developed consortiums to try and work with other people like Hyundai and the government to be able to try and promote an ecosystem for hydrogen.“So this is a long game. This is a long game. This is not where we're going to get suddenly the hydrogen HiLux is going to become the number one selling vehicle or we're going to be inundated with demand. Because the technology's going to take time, the infrastructure's going to take a lot of time."In line with that, we need to be prepared for that time, right? So that's why we're bringing in the hydrogen HiLux and that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing investing in hydrogen in Altona.”The Centre of Excellence is located at the company’s former manufacturing plant and includes a design centre in addition to the Hydrogen Centre. According to the company it can produce up to 80kg of hydrogen per day on-site. It is all part of the long-term play for the brand that hydrogen is the ultimate solution for carbon neutral trucking and heavy industry vehicles, as well as the likes of the HiLux and LandCruiser.“Looking at it from a technical point-of-view, the advantage of hydrogen is the ability to carry a lot of energy in a light weight,” Ray Munday, the Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing at Toyota.“And so in terms of the need for pickup trucks, and also trucking industry, it's still a long way for batteries to be able to do that, several generations probably. So that's really the answer for hydrogen, is that there is a BEV that can do a lot of stuff, but it's a long way for battery tech to go there.“It's not like we're not working on other things but that is the reason for hydrogen is that technical advantage that exists there. And then that allows the combination of fast refuel and light weight, which in vehicles that need to tow, go a long way, carry a lot of weight, payload, driving range, they are critical factors for moving."Diesel can do a lot of that stuff, but of course diesel has challenges. And hydrogen is a zero CO2 emission fuel. If you consider what diesel is doing now, that's where something like hydrogen goes in the future.”Which means that hydrogen technology will likely be limited to heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, rather than passenger vehicles like the Mirai - assuming Toyota's long-term gamble pays off.

BMW believes there's no such thing as too much choice with its all-new fifth-generation BMW X5.Why else would it go ahead and develop no less than five different powertrains that include a mild-hybrid petrol and diesel, plug-in hybrid, all-electric and, from 2028, a hydrogen fuel-cell?On sale in Australia late this year, the new BMW X5 is the third member of the German brand's Neue Klasse family of next-generation vehicles, lining up alongside the mid-size iX3 and more recently unveiled i3.Like the electric mid-size SUV and sedan, it adopts the firm's latest design language that sees the large SUV embrace striking monolithic proportions, a bold front end with the Neue Klasse visor and a large pair of illuminated vertical kidney grilles.You won't miss it in a car park.If you don't dig the double X LED running lamps, BMW says you can dial them back to double strikes, while the lamps themselves neatly integrate the indicators and provide a clean, imposing look.Along its flanks, the simple surfacing and a lack of any jarring door handles reinforce the X5's imperious stance, while muscular arches and large wheels that range from 21 to 23-inches mean this isn’t an SUV for shrinking violets.Measuring in at 4994mm long, 2000mm wide and standing a towering 1742mm, with a substantial 3035mm wheelbase, some family owners might lament the loss of both the handy split tailgate and the option of a third row of seats, with both the X5 and iX5 strictly five-seaters.Grab the door winglets and the front doors swing open automatically, like they would in a 7 Series limo or a million-dollar Rolls-Royce.Inside, the luxurious Mercedes GLE or Audi Q7 rival picks up where the iX3 left off, boasting the same Panoramic Vision that features a digital strip display that stretches across the entire top half of the dash.Complementing the configurable strip is a large 3D head-up display and a massive 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that can be combined with a passenger screen.Helping compensate for the lack of physical controls is a multifunction steering wheel that provides haptic feedback when in use.All the in-car tech runs the car-maker's latest OS X software that now embed Amazon Alexa AI tech within its handy virtual assistant.As well as a striking design, the X5 features a blend of new high-grade leathers and a fresh choice of natural materials, that even include slate for the first time around the gear lever.Helping BMW's latest X5 offer a wide range of powertrains, the large SUV misses out on the brand's next-generation Neue Klasse platform that is reserved for EVs.Instead, the new SUV sits on an upgraded version of the current car's CLAR underpinnings.Even though it misses out on the more advanced architecture, the all-electric iX5 still comes with BMW's latest sixth-generation eDrive powertrain that uses cylindrical cells that have a 20 per cent higher energy content than before.Sharing the same 800-volt electrics as the BMW iX3, the bigger SUV boasts a class-leading 800km range. The German brand says its unbeatable distance between charges comes from efficiency gains, although we think the enormous 140kWh battery does most of the heavy lifting.Plug it in and the charging rate is said to exceed 450kW, with a 10 to 80 per cent charge set to take less than 25 minutes.Add a tow hook and the iX5 can haul up to 2700kg (braked) – not too far off the maximum 3300kg the PHEVs can tow.Impressive, but it's worth mentioning the EVs won't arrive until late 2027.If you can't wait until then or you're not ready for an all-electric revolution, BMW will offer a pair of mild-hybrid combustion engines that combine a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder with a 48-volt integrated starter-generator, plus an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive.The X5 40 xDrive produces 294kW and 540Nm of torque, which is enough for a 0-100km/h dash of 5.4 seconds. The second turbo-diesel, the 230kW/670Nm X5 40d xDrive takes 6.2 seconds for the same sprint but can also average a more miserly 7L/100km (versus 8.6L/100km for the petrol).For Australians, the two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions might be a perfect compromise when they arrive in the second half of next year.Both the PHEVs blend an EV range of up to 100km with either 360kW (X5 50e xDrive) or 450kW for the X5 M60e XDrive that takes just 4.2 seconds to launch from 0-100km/h.Until the sportiest twin-turbo V8-powered X5 M arrives, the flagship PHEV and advanced iX5 60 xDrive remain the sportiest variants, with the latter dual motor EV pumping out 425kW and 805Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.7 seconds.BMW will release full details of the iX5 Hydrogen later, which comes equipped with a third-generation fuel-cell that has been developed with help from Toyota.With plenty of praise already heaped on the BMW iX3, the German brand says its latest Neue Klasse SUV will blend best-in-class handling with high levels of comfort.Included in its dynamic repertoire is the same powerful Heart of Joy superbrain that seamlessly manages torque and all the chassis tech.Whichever you buy, all X5s come with a 50:50 weight distribution, air suspension and rear-wheel steer.A more sophisticated Adaptive Chassis height-adjustable suspension is also available, plus a further semi-active suspension that cancels out body roll for the most comfortable ride.Driver assist tech includes hands-free highway driving and a city assistant driverless mode that helps with working out who has right of way in unfamiliar cities.BMW Australia says it's too early for full details and pricing for the BMW X5 or iX5 but the new fifth-gen large SUV lands it is tipped to be priced from $150,000 plus on-road costs when sales begin at the end of this year.

BMW is forging ahead with technology that is the anti-battery electric vehicle.The German company — along with Toyota and Hyundai  — is one of the biggest proponents of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV).These are a different type of electric vehicles, which use hydrogen to create electricity that powers motors and they have no need for a big heavy battery. Water is the only tailpipe emission.BMW has made several advances that bring them closer to surpassing battery electric vehicles.A new hydrogen storage set-up for the iX5 FCEV, which fits into the same space used for the brand’s latest batteries, is to be fitted to its range of Neue Klasse electric vehicles.This means it is more efficient to produce a hydrogen variant and doing so won't compromise interior space. BMW even claims FCEVs can now be built on the same production line as battery-powered electric cars“Think of it as installation Tetris,” said BMW board member Dr Joachim Post.The hydrogen storage system can also hold enough fuel to deliver a driving range of up to 750km, can be refilled in under five minutes and is significantly safer, according to BMW.The German giant has also started production of what it calls the "Energy Master" which is a key component to be used in its coming iX5 Hydrogen.It is effectively the brain of the hydrogen power set-up, managing the fuel cell system, battery and electric drive motors.BMW is planning on launching the iX5 Hydrogen in 2028, and the company plans to expand its offerings.It said the new fuel source stands for "electric driving with long range and fast refuelling, diversifies energy sources and reduces dependence on a single infrastructure or raw material supply chain”.

Toyota has signalled to the world combustion engines might actually be the future, with its debut its hydrogen combustion powered TR LH2 racecar on the track at the Le Man 24 Hours next week. Hydrogen-powered vehicles have generally meant using fuel cells immersed in the liquid gas to generate electricity for an EV.  The Toyota Mirai is an example of this.Toyota’s latest appearance at the famous Le Mans endurance race will showcase its latest development of hydrogen combustion. Yes, not electric, but loud and angry, and importantly, relatively clean combustion.Toyota’s TR LH2 Prototype won’t actually compete this year at Le Mans on June 13, but it will perform demonstration laps to let the world see and hear what it can do. The specifications of the TR LH2 have not been made public, but we know it has a hybrid set-up and uses the same chassis as Toyota’s actual entrant in the endurance race this year - the TR010 Hybrid Hypercar.Rather than combusting petrol to drive its wheels the TR LH2 ignites hydrogen, but still uses pistons and mechanical elements in the same way conventional engines do. There are some key differences. The hydrogen is stored as a liquid, the only problem is the fuel tanks need to be kept at -253C to keep it from turning into a gas. As with petrol, when the hydrogen is injected into the cylinder it’s ignited and explodes pushing the piston down, and in turn drives the wheels.Hydrogen combustion engines can be clean, with the only emissions being water and some carbon dioxide. It can also release toxic nitrogen oxide if the engine doesn’t reduce the emissions of these particles. Toyota is working on advanced hydrogen combustion engines that do reduce these emissions, and the TR LH2 is a work in progress of this technology.It’s not the first time Toyota has flexed its aptitude for hydrogen combustion in motorsport. In 2023 the car maker entered a GR Corolla H2 Concept powered by a liquid hydrogen combustion engine in the Japanese Super Taikyu racing series. And before that in 2022 Toyota entered a GR Yaris H2 in a demonstration run in a round of the FIA World Rally Championship at the Ypres Rally.The Le Mans 24 Hours race takes place from June 13-14, with the TR LH2 making its demonstration laps on June 11.  

Toyota is one the biggest advocates for hydrogen as a fuel source for vehicles, but it’s now focusing its efforts as the mass-market take-up, especially in the passenger car space, still lags.As reported by Nikkei Asia, the Japanese carmaker is doubling down on implementing its hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) technology in commercial vehicles, like trucks.The reason for this is that demand for hydrogen-fuelled passenger cars is dwindling.Toyota is working with many partners in order to implement and scale its hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles.One example is the Japanese carmaker is working closely with the Japanese Government to use hydrogen fuel cell trucks and develop a refuelling station network.“I truly believe now is the time to accelerate our hydrogen initiatives together with partners. Let's change the future with hydrogen,” said Toyota Hydrogen Factory President Mitsumasa Yamagata to Nikkei Asia.Many carmakers have shunned hydrogen as a viable fuel source. Examples include Volkswagen, Stellantis and General Motors.Reasons for this vary but include the high costs associated with developing FCEV technology and producing hydrogen, as well lacklustre refuelling infrastructure, among others.Toyota, along with other brands like BMW and Hyundai are some of the few that have continued development in this space.The Japanese carmaker has been preaching its multi-pathway strategy for decarbonisation for years now and includes continued development in internal-combustion, hybrid, battery electric and hydrogen powertrain technologies.Toyota currently has one FCEV truck in the form of the Hino Profiz Z FCV as Hino is part of the Toyota Group.It uses two fuel cell stacks from the Toyota Mirai FCEV liftback that have been customised for heavy-duty commercial use.Hino claims this FCEV truck has a driving range of around 650km when fully loaded and refuelling takes between 15 and 30 minutes.As it currently stands Toyota doesn’t offer any FCEV vehicle to the public in Australia. The Mirai is only offered to select fleets through lease agreements.However, the Japanese carmaker has previously confirmed it plans to introduce a FCEV version of the HiLux in Australia in 2027. This will be available to the public but will be aimed at commercial fleets, much like the recently priced HiLux BEV.In Australia there are very few hydrogen refuelling stations currently. There are several initiatives and funding from state governments being put forward to scale this.One includes the $20 million Hume Hydrogen Highway initiative from the Victorian and New South Wales Governments to connect Melbourne and Sydney with around four refuelling stations along the Hume Highway.

The once highly-promising hydrogen-powered car technology now appears to be faltering as it lags behind other new energy technologies, according to reports. Nikkei Asia has reported annual sales of hydrogen vehicles decreased by more than 80 per cent since 2021, with the supporting infrastructure available also decreasing.Hydrogen vehicles more commonly take the form of fuel cell vehicles (FCV), using compressed hydrogen gas to power a fuel cell, which converts hydrogen into electricity to power it. This method means only water is emitted into the atmosphere, while offering similar refuelling times and driving range to internal combustion vehicles, but with EV performance.This technology is only found in a few vehicles, such as the Toyota Mirai sedan and the Hyundai Nexo SUV. Honda was one of the first brands to explore the potential of hydrogen technology more than 20 years ago, with its FCX sedan. Toyota has been heavily investing in hydrogen-powered cars, recently focussing on a different angle: hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engines. This system repurposes compressed hydrogen as an injectable substance into the combustion chamber without emitting CO2.Charging times for electric vehicles remain a key point of discussion in their viability for mass usage, which makes this alternative hydrogen technology an interesting prospect.It now looks like the refuelling benefits over EVs are becoming more of a moot point with the scarcity of hydrogen refuelling points and their limited uptake. Australia does not have a hydrogen model on sale to the general public, with only some available on leasing deals, including the Mirai and Nexo. There are less than 20 hydrogen refuelling stations currently in Australia.According to Nikkei Asia, new FCV sales in Japan decreased by 83 per cent last year in comparison to 2021, with only 431 units finding new homes.These stuttering sales numbers are causing major players to retreat in their hydrogen plans, including Stallantis that discontinued development citing "no prospects of mid-term economic sustainability."Honda and General Motors have also severed ties on their hydrogen joint-venture, which has been running since 2013 and included production of the CR-V e:FCEV. This does not mean hydrogen is off the cards, with Toyota and Hyundai still proceeding with FCV projects over the next two years. Hyundai in particular intends to double down on the technology, with a new-generation Nexo having already launched in its South Korean home market.

After it received Federal Government approval for local sale this week, a Hyundai Australia spokesperson has told CarsGuide its second-generation (NH2) Nexo fuel cell electric SUV is “launching Down Under in 2026”.

Australians love diesel-powered vehicles, but according to Toyota, it isn’t a fuel source of the future.

Hot off the back of the BMW iX3 reveal, the German carmaker is expected to reveal a new 3 Series sedan and then a new X5 large SUV.

Toyota Australia’s is serious about hydrogen as a low- or no-emission source of power for transport.