Toyota Motor Europe and the VDL Groep have jointly integrated Toyota's fuel cell technology into heavy trucks. Following the deployment of an initial demonstration vehicle, four more trucks are now in daily operation on routes between Diest in Belgium, Lille in France, Cologne and Rotterdam, and Weesp in the Netherlands.
The manufacturer is utilizing the
fuel cell trucks with its logistics partners Vos Transport Group, Ceva, Groupe Cat and Yusen as part of its European logistics network, specifically in the Toyota Parts Centre Europe, where over 500,000 parts and accessories are processed daily.
The trucks are expected to deliver performance comparable to diesel vehicles and to cover up to 400
kilometers under real conditions with a full tank. The manufacturer cites increased driving comfort due to the vibration-free electric drive and reduced noise pollution as additional advantages.
“This initiative aligns with Toyota’s aim to achieve carbon neutrality in logistics by 2040,” explains Thiebault Paquet, Vice President R&D, Toyota Motor Europe, adding: “At the same time,
we want to contribute to the development of the hydrogen economy. Heavy fuel cell trucks can significantly increase hydrogen demand – especially in conjunction with the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).”
The goal is to gain everyday operational experience together with the logistics partners in order to further optimize the vehicles and operational processes.
