The planned Tesla Semi electric truck is set to have a competitor from some established names. Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Hino USA have announced that they will jointly develop a Class 8 fuel cell electric truck (FCET) for the North American market.
With expanding interest in heavy-duty electric trucks, the Japanese companies will leverage the newly developed Hino XL Series chassis with Toyota’s proven fuel cell technology to “deliver exceptional capability without harmful emissions”.
This latest collaboration expands upon the existing effort to develop a 25-tonne FCET for the Japanese market which was announced earlier this year. The first demonstration vehicle is expected to arrive in the first half of 2021.
“A fuel cell powered version of the Hino XL Series is a win-win for both customers and the community. It will be quiet, smooth and powerful while emitting nothing but water. Toyota’s 20 plus years of fuel cell technology combined with Hino’s heavy-duty truck experience will create an innovative and capable product,” said Tak Yokoo, senior executive engineer and Toyota R&D.
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Tahniah Toyota
Hydrogen fuel cell truck?
Nice, minimal refuel time like petrol refuel.
Meanwhile Toyota relies on Geely for EV tech and China CATL for EV batteries. So what does Japan do, goyang kaki tido?