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Hino and Toyota team-up on mobile hydrogen solution

The unique truck and trailer was designed by Hino and Toyota to help the move towards hydrogen-powered cars

 

Toyota Australia and Hino Australia claim they have created Australia’s first mobile hydrogen refuelling station, collaborating on the vehicle to support fuel-cell sedans.

Using a Hino 700 Series SS2848HR ProShift, the new vehicle carries a refuelling solution to cover the current lack of hydrogen-equipped infrastructure in Australia.

The solution fits inside a purpose-built trailer, integrating its generator and a hydrogen compressor to cool and pressurise hydrogen to 70 megapascal (MPa) and supply power to the fuel-cell sedans.

The trailer was designed by Hino Australia and Toyota in collaboration with MaxiTrans, which manufactured it at its Victorian facility, and features curtains manufactured by Fleetmark.

According to Toyota Australia’s fuel-cell project sponsor and senior executive adviser to the board Bernie O’Connor, the vehicle will assist the arrival of the brand’s Mirai consumer vehicles.

“It is the first high-pressure hydrogen refueller in Australia that can completely fill a fuel-cell vehicle,” O’Connor says.

“This is a practical and necessary measure to enable people around Australia to learn about and experience the game-changing Mirai and its ground-breaking technology first-hand.”

When it comes to the truck itself, Hino Australia product strategy manager Daniel Petrovski says the company is also working towards an environmentally-efficient product line-up.

“Closely following the 10th anniversary of our Hino Hybrid truck, Hino Australia’s involvement in other clean-energy initiatives backs our commitment to work towards a more sustainable transport industry,” Petrovski says.

“In Japan, Hino is prototyping fuel-cell bus technology closely related to the hydrogen fuel-cell systems in the Toyota Mirai sedan.

“We’re proud to be able to partner with Toyota to support the fuel-cell vision in Australia.”

The 700 Series Hino truck involved in the project has been specified for dangerous goods transport, with a vertical exhaust, flame-proofed wiring and other safety measures, and has the capacity to be reconfigured to transport up to 10 tonnes of hydrogen and nitrogen gas bottles.

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