Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle made in Britain to enter testing phase as Toyota reaches 'another milestone'

The "groundbreaking" project is now in its "final phase" after it was unveiled in September 2023, with Toyota and its consortium partners being supported by UK Government funding.

It has now successfully progressed its joint development project to its current stage where it will enter a new chapter of intensive prototype evaluation and demonstration.

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The 10 fuel cell Hilux pick-up trucks have been manufactured at the brand's Burnaston facility in Derbyshire, with five of the vehicles undergoing rigorous field testing to assess safety, performance and durability.

The other five vehicles are being used for customer and media demonstrations, including at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer.

The fuel cell Hilux has an expected driving range of up to 373 miles (600km) with three high-pressure fuel tanks, each containing 2.6kg.

Since the hydrogen fuel cell does not produce any harmful emissions at the tailpipe, the only byproduct of driving the vehicle is water.

​Toyota said this was the latest project in its aim to achieve carbon neutrality through different powertrains including hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, fuel cell and e-fuels.

The outcome of the rigorous testing for the 10 hydrogen-powered Hilux pick-up trucks will mark the conclusion of the demonstration project.

Toyota already has a number of fuel cell vehicles on the road including buses with its partner CaetanoBus, while organisers in Paris have pledged to convert 10 diesel coaches to zero emission vehicles during the Olympics.

The Totoyta Mirai is also one of a handful of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the market, with a range of around 400 miles and a price point of £64,695.

Speaking at the time of the original announcement, Richard Kenworthy, managing director of Toyota Manufacturing UK, said it was a milestone for the global production giant.

He added: “The project team have accomplished an incredible job in a very short space of time, from creating the prototype build area to completion of the first vehicle.

“The UK Government funding has enabled us not only to develop a new vehicle in record time but also to upskill our teams to work on hydrogen-related technologies, something we hope to build on in the future.

“This is a great vote of confidence in UK manufacturing and its potential to deliver carbon-free vehicles to meet future targets.”

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There is no word yet on when the vehicle will be rolled out for full production, with hydrogen fuel cell technology slowly becoming more popular among major manufacturers.