Fuel-cell LandCruiser in 2035? Toyota backs hydrogen future in Australia

Toyota is standing firm on the expansion of hydrogen technologies in Australia, because it looks to make the Mirai the “latest Prius” as the following trailblazer for the brand and hopes to sell FCEVs through its dealer network within the near future.

“[The] Prius, after we brought it out, was the beginning of the hybrid journey. So the ‘latest Prius’ on the earth that I’m enthusiastic about, or that Toyota is enthusiastic about, might be the Mirai,” Sean Hanley, vp for sales and marketing at Toyota Australia told CarExpert.

When asked if hydrogen is a key a part of Toyota Australia’s future strategy, Mr Hanley responded with “my word it’s!”

“The technology is there. The vehicle is there, one vehicle in the intervening time – but we began with one hybrid, remember? We’ve sold over 400,000 hybrids now and it took until the last five years of 23 years for it to be en masse.

“I see hydrogen and Mirai being at the identical point of start, but I don’t see [a] 20-year horizon, more like a 10-year horizon.

“We’re now considering with infrastructure expansion, the probability of bringing Mirai to mainstream market – because in the intervening time we actually don’t it, per se.

“We did say to our dealer network that that’s a moment in time; once we get infrastructure, and we imagine there are particular areas of country – there aren’t quite a bit at once – for instance Canberra… Melbourne may be an area, there may be parts of Sydney… where there’s infrastructure and we’ll find a way to sell these vehicles.

“So our idea is that we’ll now examine, as that infrastructure expands, where we could possibly make this available on the market.

“Mirai isn’t an idea automobile, it’s a automobile driving on Melbourne roads at once. It’s registered. It’s happening. It’s only infrastructure [holding it back].

“Our idea is that eventually we’d wish to get that automobile as a mainstream-sold automobile in our dealer network – I don’t think that’s distant, in order that’ll be an enormous step for us.

“Then as infrastructure expands, we will look towards what other things we will do with with other models. I feel fuel-cell electric vehicles and hydrogen definitely have a future in Australia.

“We all know they do big buses around the globe now, we all know they do big trucks around the globe now in certain markets. Why couldn’t they do a LandCruiser? Why couldn’t they do a [LandCruiser] Prado in the longer term? But I feel it’s 2035 horizon.

Toyota has already hinted at each electric and hydrogen futures for its heavier duty vehicles just like the HiLux and LandCruiser 300 Series.

Last October the Japanese brand revealed the LandCruiser Se, a futuristic design concept that previews an all-electric LandCruiser of the longer term.

It appears to be more a design study greater than anything with no confirmation of a production model nor a timeline – though Mr Hanley said on the time Toyota Australia “could be the primary one to place our hands up”.

Perhaps more likely is a hydrogen-powered LandCruiser, given the Japanese brand recently said it’s already exploring and developing its hydrogen combustion technology – first previewed by the Hydrogen HiAce Prototype – for vehicles like the enduring off-roader.

“There are possibilities to adapt [hydrogen combustion technology] into big vehicles, including LandCruiser,” Toyota Motor Company hydrogen factory president Mitsumasa Yamagata told CarExpert in November via a translator.

“This advantage of the technology might be utilised for those vehicles including high towing and high loading. We’re studying which vehicle [will] have the appropriate technology.”

The Hydrogen HiAce prototype is powered by a modified version of the three.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol offered within the LandCruiser 300 Series in other markets, in addition to the Lexus LX 600 in Australia.

The hydrogen-fuelled variant of the V6 engine produces 120kW of power and 354Nm of torque – 185kW and 296Nm lower than its petrol-fuelled counterpart. Drive is distributed to the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The inner combustion engine is fed by three hydrogen fuel tanks that just like ones utilized in the present Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The Mirai has a complete hydrogen capability of 5.6kg.

Toyota claims the Hydrogen HiAce prototype has a variety of around 200km. For context, the Mirai has an NEDC claimed range of 650km.

Few other technical details are known concerning the Hydrogen HiAce prototype at this stage, though it does have a 1500kg towing capability and “minimal impact” on payload and internal space.

Along with porting this hydrogen-combustion technology to larger vehicles, Toyota claims it’s already working on increasing the dimensions of the hydrogen storage tanks on the Hydrogen HiAce prototype, improving combustion, in addition to exploring the potential for adding hybrid technology.

Toyota can be actively testing hydrogen-powered performance vehicles. Back in 2021 the corporate revealed the GR Yaris H₂ which just like the HiAce prototype has a modified fuel supply and injection system for the hydrogen fuel source rather than a fuel cell system.

Powering the hydrogen-powered GR Yaris concept is a 1.6-litre ‘G16E-GTS’ turbocharged inline-three-cylinder engine that’s very just like the petrol-powered GR Yaris engineered to run on hydrogen, and the concept features the identical hydrogen fuel tanks and refuelling process because the Mirai.

Toyota has been working on this hydrogen combustion-engine technology since 2017 but says it’s “still within the early stages of development and never yet ready for commercialisation”.

The Japanese automaker says it’ll proceed developing its hydrogen-powered engine through the tough lens of motorsport for now – corresponding to the hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport that’s been competing within the Super Taikyu endurance racing series in Japan since May 2021 by the Rookie Racing division of Toyota Gazoo Racing.

Are you open to a hydrogen future? Share your thoughts within the comments!