A team in Derbyshire, UK, has developed a new hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux pickup truck. This could be the future of alternative fuel driving.

Electricity is one of the cleanest and most renewable energy sources in the world, but electric vehicles require massive amounts of rare-earth metals and take a long time to recharge compared to refueling a gas-powered vehicle. The answer to this dilemma could be hydrogen, but it’s been a long and slow road to convince some automakers to research hydrogen cars. Thankfully, Toyota isn’t one of the automotive holdouts when it comes to hydrogen-powered vehicles.

What does this new truck offer?

The new hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux truck has a driving range of 373 miles on a full tank. This compares favorably to gas-powered vehicles and is better than most electric models. The greatest benefit of this truck is the refueling time. Liquid hydrogen can be pumped into the tanks of this Hilux just as quickly as gasoline is pumped into an internal combustion vehicle. This makes the refueling time much faster than that of an electric vehicle. In the truck world, this would be a huge benefit when towing a heavy load.

Are hydrogen-powered vehicles green?

Hydrogen offers impressive benefits compared to gas and diesel vehicles. The hydrogen is mixed with oxygen in a fuel cell at the front of the vehicle. This fuel cell replaces a conventional engine, which means this vehicle type has a conventional setup. The hydrogen is stored in the tanks at the rear of the vehicle. The only emission from a hydrogen vehicle is water vapor, which is much better for the atmosphere than the harmful gas and diesel emissions most vehicles produce.

When will we get to see this new Hilux?

The new hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux will appear and be used during the summer’s Paris Olympics. Toyota has been a major sponsor of the Olympic Games for many years and is a named sponsor for the games in Paris. Toyota often supplies vehicles used to transport gear and participants around the Olympic Village and to events. The use of the Hilux hydrogen-powered trucks during these games could give the company an idea of whether or not these trucks can be mass-produced; a decision that will be made by the Toyota leadership in Japan.

If the hydrogen-powered Hilux enters production, it’s expected to retail at a similar price to the electric version.

“With hydrogen engines, we get all the advantages of a combustion engine but with none of the emissions problems.” – Chris Goffey

What are some of the top hydrogen vehicles of 2024?

Toyota Mirai

Another way Toyota is leading the way in hydrogen driving is with the Mirai. This is the hydrogen alternative to the Prius, which has been a testing machine for several years. The Mirai is now its second generation and can provide a driving range of nearly 400 miles, which is pretty impressive.

Hyundai Nexo

Not to be outdone by Toyota, Hyundai also has some hydrogen-powered vehicles available. The Nexo is a small SUV with a set of onboard hydrogen fuel cells to handle the driving desired. Hyundai offers a 400+ mile range for this hydrogen vehicle, making it a great choice when its time to take it out for a spin. The Nexo also features a premium interior to help justify the high price that’s required to purchase this vehicle.

Honda CR-V Hydrogen

Honda seems to be behind in the alternative fuel market, but they have the CR-V Hydrogen, which uses a hydrogen fuel cell for power. This model has been built in conjunction with GM to help show that hydrogen could be a fantastic choice in the alternative fuel market. This hydrogen-powered CR-V is also a hybrid, which means you can plug it in and recharge the batteries for some EV driving range.

Land Rover Defender FCEV

Hydrogen power isn’t only for the Asian automakers, but also for those everywhere in the world. This Land Rover Defenders is part of the brand’s net zero carbon emissions strategy. Using hydrogen for larger vehicles could be a huge improvement to the brand’s overall emissions reported, making it easy to drive a vehicle that is big, powerful, and only produces water vapor as its expulsion.

The new Toyota Hilux hydrogen-powered truck will make its public debut in Paris, and we’ll learn more about its usefulness during the summer Olympic Games. Will hydrogen become the alternative fuel that makes the most sense, or will it continue to be an afterthought, with only a few models built that use this fuel?