Gov’t to trial Toyota Mirai, mobile hydrogen station in Pen Malaysia; FCEV sales to equal ICE, EVs by 2050

The Sarawak government may be leading the charge when it comes to hydrogen power, Peninsular Malaysia isn’t too far behind. The ministry of science, technology and innovation (MOSTI) will also be bringing in three units of the Toyota Mirai to be trialled on the western side of the country in the first quarter of 2025, according to The Star.

Minister Chang Lin Kang said the pilot, which will also involve mobile hydrogen fuelling stations, is part of Malaysia’s goal to have equal sales of hydrogen, petrol and electric vehicles by 2050. “This initiative is a step towards establishing Malaysia as a leader in clean energy in the region.

“The vision for a hydrogen economy positions hydrogen as a clean, low-carbon energy source that is capable of replacing traditional fossil fuels and becoming a key component of a clean energy portfolio. As a carbon-neutral energy source, hydrogen offers inclusivity and benefits for industry stakeholders,” he told the publication.

Chang added that his ministry will retain the use of one of the Mirais to promote the use of hydrogen. “We will bring in the Mirai and conduct promotional activities. This will serve as a demonstration of our capability, proving that it is road-ready and can be used effectively,” he said, adding that it is essential for the government to promote hydrogen cars together with EVs, given that the former only emits water.

The three cars will be fuelled by the aforementioned mobile hydrogen stations set up in either Putrajaya or Cyberjaya. “The total budget for the Mobile Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber project is around RM12 million, with higher initial cost as it’s the first in the peninsula,” Chang said.

The move to trial hydrogen-powered vehicles is in line with Chang’s comments in October 2023, during which he said MOSTI was developing a Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) to position the country within the lucrative global hydrogen ecosystem, projected to be worth US$189.19bil (RM834.33bil) by 2050. “The hydrogen economy is seen as a viable solution to Malaysia’s economic challenges, which include plans to phase out petrol subsidies,” he said.

The need to shift away from petrol power is urgently needed as it’s been reported that Malaysia’s oil and gas reserves may only last another 15 years, according to the reserves life index. But Chang still does not expect hydrogen cars to be popular for another decade, as the country has yet to produce its own and even on the global scale, only the Mirai and the soon-to-be-replaced Hyundai Nexo are currently offered for sale.

“There is, however, rapid development in freight transportation with fuel cell technology, with companies like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making significant progress,” he said, adding that Malaysia’s hydrogen economy goals extend beyond mobility, encompassing the entire hydrogen value chain including production, transportation, storage and end-use in industries, power generation and transportation.

The other problem dissuading wider adoption is hydrogen fuel costs, especially for eco-friendly green hydrogen. Production of the fuel currently costs around US$6 (RM28.15) per kilogram, meaning that a full tank of 5.65 kg for the Mirai would cost around US$33.90 (RM159) for a range of 800km.

However, the switch to targeted subsidies will gradually narrow the cost gap between petrol/diesel and new energy sources. This will be helped by the import, excise and road tax exemptions for hydrogen vehicles, similar to EVs, as part of HETR. Subsidies will also be offered, akin to those China currently provides for EVs.

Malaysia is also working to phase out grey hydrogen, produced using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that adds carbon capture and storage technology to reduce emissions. The ultimate goal is the transition to green hydrogen that is made using renewable energy, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change through carbon neutral initiatives.

GALLERY: 2024 Toyota Mirai and mobile hydrogen station in Malaysia

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