Hino Motors has announced the release of Japan’s first mass-produced fuel cell heavy-duty truck, the Hino Profia Z FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle).
The hydrogen-powered rig is officially released to the Japanese market on October 24, with the covers also coming off the model at the Japan Mobility Show from October 30 to November 9.
The Profia Z FCV has been jointly developed by Toyota Motor Corporation and Hino, based on Hino’s heavy-duty truck, the Hino Profia (known as the 700 Series in Australia).
The hydrogen refuelling takes between 15 and 30 minutes and the driving range for a loaded vehicle is approximately 650 kilometres.
Richard Emery, Hino Australia President and CEO, said the Profia Z FCV is another innovative Hino solution that Hino Australia will consider for the Australian market.
“This is an exciting global development for Hino,” Emery said.
“In Australia, Hino has led the way with the light-duty 300 Series Hybrid Electric for over 18 years, and we are currently evaluating the suitability of multiple low and zero emission solutions, from the Hino Dutro Z EV (300 Series) battery electric vehicle which is undergoing Australian market operational evaluation to the heavy-duty Profia (700 Series) Hybrid.”
The Profia Z FCV chassis is designed to maximise the operator’s load capacity while accommodating the component layout requirements of a fuel cell vehicle, Hino said.
The powertrain consists of two fuel cell stacks from Toyota’s MIRAI fuel cell vehicle and has been customised for heavy-duty commercial vehicle use.
It also incorporates technology and driving control from Hino heavy-duty and electric vehicles.
The Profia Z FCV will be launched following the successful final stage of trials which involved multiple vehicles embedded in customer operations.
“Globally, Hino is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality – in Japan, the entire domestic freight fleet accounts for 60 per cent of CO2 emissions, and heavy-duty vehicles are a significant contributor to this,” Emery added.
“As we move towards carbon neutrality, it is important to adopt a ‘multi-pathway’ approach to ensure we have the most suitable powertrains for the various applications.
“Fuel cell vehicles, which generate electricity from hydrogen, are well-suited to heavy-duty trucks in long-distance transport operations, as they provide the necessary cruising range, payload capacity, and fast refuelling.”