Toyota has upsized its plans for fuel cell production to include zero-emission heavy haulage.
The world’s biggest carmaker has used the hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain from the Mirai sedan to power a 36-tonne 18-wheel heavy rigid truck.
Referred to internally as Project Portal, Toyota is using the concept truck to conduct feasibility study into the adaptability of fuel cell technology into heavier duty vehicles.
The project will conduct haulage duties between Los Angeles in the US to nearby 
Long Beach, in a bid to trial the two combined Mirai fuel cell stacks in real-world operations. The truck produces over 500kW of power and nearly 1800Nm of torque courtesy of a 12kWh battery.
With a gross combined weight capacity over 36.2 tonnes (that’s 80,000lbs in old money) its predicted driving range is around 320km per hydrogen fill under ‘normal’ short-distance work emitting only water.
Port officials and California Air Resources Board (CARB) and California Energy Commission representatives revered the project.
“By bringing this heavy-duty, zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell proof-of-concept truck to the port,” chair Mary D. Nichols said, “Toyota has planted a flag that we hope many others will follow.”
Toyota has also produced a hydrogen fuel cell forklift and buses to promote the technology at the 2020 Olympic Games
