Toyota is expanding its lineup of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) beyond buses and trucks to include food trucks, mobile offices, and garbage trucks. Leveraging the zero tailpipe emissions and electricity generation capabilities of FCVs, Toyota aims to promote hydrogen as a key option for decarbonization.
One example is a hydrogen-powered cafe truck, based on Toyota's HiAce van, serving coffee without noise or exhaust emissions. FCVs, like the ones used in food trucks, generate electricity through a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction, offering a quiet and eco-friendly alternative to traditional generators. Toyota has also developed a mobile office using the Mirai FC system in a GranAce minivan, equipped with a large monitor and telecommunication devices for use as a mobile workplace or in disaster response.
Additionally, Toyota has created a garbage truck using a fuel cell system to power the vehicle and a device that compresses and loads garbage, reducing noise pollution during nighttime collections. The company's diverse FCV lineup includes ambulances and broadcast vans, showcasing its commitment to exploring various applications for hydrogen technology. Shigetaka Hamada, head of Toyota’s Hydrogen Factory, emphasizes the potential of FCVs in providing new values beyond environmental benefits for widespread use in the future.