Toyota banks on commercial fleets for hydrogen fuel cell breakthrough

Toyota Australia says that the lack of established refuelling infrastructure is the toughest challenge facing hydrogen fuel cell technology in Australia, but the commercial sector can turn that around.

In a press release issued today, the company posited a future of hydrogen refuelling stations at transport depots around the nation. Beyond a certain tipping point, establishing hydrogen-dispensing facilities for privately owned vehicles would become economically sustainable, and the zero-emissions technology would spread around the country at a faster rate.

"Hydrogen is a promising alternate fuel for the future and the Mirai is the exciting technology that Toyota is offering globally. As Australians, we want to eventually be part of that," Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner was quoted saying in a press release.

"Of course, we acknowledge that we are a fair way off being in a position to introduce this technology in Australia as we first need the relevant infrastructure.

"However, with a well-developed implementation plan towards the future, we believe this vision would be an ideal way to introduce Australia to this exciting new technology and pave the way for the eventual roll out to the private sector."

The problem in the shorter term is that fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles do not exist, although Toyota technology guru Bill Reinert told motoring.com.au six years ago that the company's modular fuel cell technology could lend itself to commercial vehicle applications.

It becomes a chicken-and-egg conundrum – commercial vehicle fleets won't establish refuelling infrastructure if the vehicles that could use that infrastructure are not available for sale. The onus to develop and build pick-ups and vans with on-board fuel cell systems appears to rest on the shoulders of car companies like Toyota – with an agenda to make fuel cell technology work.

Toyota will be presenting its Mirai passenger car (pictured), with an on-board fuel cell, at the 6th World Hydrogen Technologies Convention in Sydney later this month. The Mirai is a series-production fuel cell vehicle that's on sale in its home market, Japan, and in the USA, where hydrogen refuelling stations are rapidly growing in number. Nearly 60 stations are either in operation already or due to commence operating next year in the state of California alone, to cater for many more fuel cell vehicles now on the roads of the golden state.