While the automotive industry is in a fast race to switch to electric drive, Toyota believes that this is only an intermediate technology on the way to the real solution to the pollution and energy problems in vehicles powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
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Globally, Toyota has been marketing the Mirai for several years - a serial car with a fuel cell that received a second generation about two years ago - and continues to invest resources in the development of the technology.
Another product of the investment in the right-hand fuel cell comes from the Toyota division in the UK, which is currently unveiling a new concept of the popular Hilux van powered by a fuel cell.
The concept is part of a joint project with the UK government's Advanced Propulsion Development Center which is also responsible for a significant portion of the project's funding which costs more than 11 million pounds.
The goal of the project is to test the feasibility of production of a serial version, when next year the prototype will begin testing.
The right hand fuel cell unit installed in the Hilux came directly from the Mirai.
This is the second generation of the right fuel cell from Toyota, where the fuel cell has a power of 128 kW and the power of the electric motor driving the wheels is 182 hp.
Hydrogen tanks with a volume of 142 liters allow a driving range of about 650 km.
To enable the installation of the fuel cell system, the Hilux underwent a number of fundamental changes.
The hydrogen tanks are installed on the floor of the van in front of the rear wheels, the fuel cell unit is installed in the bow instead of the diesel engine, while the battery is in the front part of the box behind the passenger cabin.
At the moment it is not clear if and when we will get to see a serial version of the Hilux with the right-hand fuel cell, but the commitment of Toyota's European development center to the program and the support of the British government is another small and important step on the way to implementing the future propulsion technology of the automotive industry.
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