Rajan Wilcox
Toyota has been investing in fuel cell technology since 1992 and has recently developed its third-generation fuel cell system (3rd Gen FC System). This new system is designed to meet the needs of the commercial sector, with improved performance and fuel efficiency, and reduced costs compared to its previous versions. The 3rd Gen FC System can be installed in various vehicles, including passenger cars, buses, trucks, trains, and ships. Toyota's fuel cell technology, which was first used in the Mirai, has been repackaged into compact fuel cell modules with diverse applications beyond the automotive industry. The company is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and creating a positive impact on society through initiatives like decreasing single-use plastic waste, supporting water conservation, and protecting biodiversity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Fuel Cell Technology | PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) technology |
| Fuel Cell System | 3rd Gen FC System |
| Hydrogen Society | Collaborating with local governments, companies, associations, and organizations |
| Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles | Mirai, Hydrogen GR Corolla |
| Markets | Japan, Europe, North America, China |
| Launch Year | 2026 (at the earliest) |
| Environmental Impact | Zero emissions, except water |
| Applications | Passenger cars, buses, trucks, trains, marine, stationary power generators |
| Maintenance | Simple and infrequent |
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What You'll Learn
Toyota's third-generation fuel cell system
On February 14, 2025, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced that it had developed a new fuel cell system, its third-generation fuel cell system (3rd Gen FC System). This new system is designed to cater to the specific needs of the commercial sector, offering the same durability as conventional diesel-powered engines.
The 3rd Gen FC System boasts significant improvements in performance, including a 1.2x increase in fuel efficiency compared to the previous generation, resulting in a 20% greater cruising range for passenger vehicles. This enhanced fuel efficiency also translates to greater peace of mind for drivers. Additionally, the system has achieved a substantial reduction in manufacturing costs through innovations in cell design and manufacturing processes, which is expected to lead to lower starting prices for vehicles and equipment powered by hydrogen.
The compact design of the 3rd Gen FC System makes it easily adaptable to a variety of commercial vehicles, passenger cars, and general-purpose applications. It can be integrated into stationary generators, rail, and ships, showcasing its versatility across different industries. Toyota's commitment to hydrogen as a crucial fuel source in the pursuit of carbon neutrality is evident, and they actively collaborate with partners to accelerate the adoption of FC technology.
Toyota has been a pioneer in fuel cell technology since 1992, and their advanced fuel cell systems are already integrated into various applications, including passenger cars, buses, trucks, trains, marine, and stationary power generators. The company's pursuit of "Mobility for All" and commitment to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals drive their efforts to create a safer, more connected, inclusive, and sustainable future.
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Hydrogen as a fuel for carbon neutrality
Hydrogen has emerged as a promising energy vector in the quest for carbon neutrality. It offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, with the capacity to generate clean energy, enable efficient energy storage, and facilitate seamless energy delivery. Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water vapour and heat. This technology has been employed in Toyota's Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle, with approximately 28,000 units sold across 30 countries. Toyota is committed to creating a hydrogen society, investing in fuel cell technology since 1992, and developing its third-generation fuel cell system for use in various vehicles and applications.
Toyota's latest fuel cell system, the 3rd Gen FC System, showcases significant advancements in performance and cost reduction. It is designed to meet the durability and power needs of both passenger and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, offering improved fuel efficiency and compact integration. This system will be introduced in markets such as Japan, Europe, North America, and China, contributing to the company's pursuit of carbon neutrality.
The utilisation of hydrogen as a fuel extends beyond the automotive industry. Hydrogen fuel cells have found applications in buses, railroads, and stationary power generators. Additionally, hydrogen is essential in facilitating the integration of renewable energies into the energy grid, making it suitable for sectors where direct electrification is impractical. Hydrogen's versatility as an energy carrier enables its use in various operating environments, including temperature and altitude variations, enhancing its potential for widespread adoption.
The transition towards hydrogen as a fuel aligns with global efforts to mitigate climate change and its impacts on various sectors. The Paris Agreement of 2015 underscores the importance of transitioning to renewable and low-carbon energy solutions. Governments worldwide have recognised the potential of hydrogen, with 60 governments adopting hydrogen strategies. Initiatives such as the European Commission's "A Clean Planet for All" and the International Organization for Standardization's technical specifications for determining GHG emissions in the hydrogen supply chain further emphasise the momentum behind hydrogen as a fuel for carbon neutrality.
While hydrogen presents exciting possibilities, it also brings certain challenges. To fully unlock the potential of hydrogen as a fuel, faster action is required to create demand, accelerate production scale-up, and drive down technology costs. Advancements in hydrogen production methods, such as water electrolysis using renewable energy sources, are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving a sustainable, carbon-neutral future.
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Toyota Mirai: hydrogen fuel cell cars
The Toyota Mirai is a hydrogen fuel cell car that was first launched in 2014. It is one of the few hydrogen-fuelled vehicles available in the United States, where it has been sold since 2015. The Mirai runs on hydrogen, with its only by-product being water. It uses an onboard fuel cell to convert hydrogen gas into electricity, which is then routed to a 182-hp electric motor.
The Mirai is now in its second generation, and Toyota has been continuously improving its fuel cell technology since its founding in 1937. The company has been investing in fuel cell technology since 1992 and has developed its own Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which is more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines and emits no CO2 or substances of concern (SOCs) when driven. The Mirai's fuel cell technology has also been used in other applications such as buses, railroads, and stationary power generators.
The Mirai's hydrogen fuel tanks have been rigorously tested and proven to meet Global Technical Regulation No. 13. The Toyota-designed carbon fiber hydrogen tanks have undergone extreme testing to ensure their strength and durability in a crash. The Mirai has also been subjected to extensive crash testing to evaluate its design and protect vehicle occupants in frontal, side, and rear impacts.
The Mirai takes approximately 9.1 seconds to reach 60 mph, and its refueling takes between 3 and 5 minutes. The range of the car is estimated to be around 400 miles per fill-up of hydrogen for the XLE model and 357 miles for the Limited model. However, the limited hydrogen refueling infrastructure means that drivers are currently restricted to California, where most of the hydrogen fuelling stations in the United States are located.
Toyota is committed to reducing carbon emissions and creating a hydrogen society. The company is actively collaborating with partners across various industries to promote initiatives related to "Create, Transport, Store, and Use" hydrogen in its R&D activities.
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PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) technology
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology is pivotal among the various components of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). PEMFCs are a type of fuel cell being developed mainly for transport applications, as well as for stationary fuel-cell applications and portable fuel-cell applications. PEMFCs generate electricity and operate on the opposite principle to PEM electrolysis, which consumes electricity.
A proton-exchange membrane (PEM) is a polymeric semipermeable membrane that can conduct or transfer cations (protons), while keeping the reactant separate. The conduction of protons proceeds along the polymeric backbone due to the presence of carboxylated or sulfonated groups with a cationic counter ion. The proton-exchange membrane is commonly made of materials such as perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA, sold commercially as Nafion and Aquivion), which minimize gas crossover and short-circuiting of the fuel cell.
The platinum catalyst on the membrane is easily poisoned by carbon monoxide, which is often present in product gases formed by methane reforming. This generally requires the use of the water gas shift reaction to eliminate CO from product gases and form more hydrogen. The membrane is also sensitive to the presence of metal ions, which may be introduced by corrosion of metallic components in the fuel cell system or from contaminants in the fuel/oxidant.
The PEMFC uses a water-based, acidic polymer membrane as its electrolyte, with platinum-based electrodes. PEMFC cells operate at relatively low temperatures (below 100 degrees Celsius) and can tailor electrical output to meet dynamic power requirements. PEMFC cells are currently the leading technology for light-duty vehicles and materials handling vehicles.
Toyota has been investing in PEM fuel cell technology since 1992. The company's fuel cells use PEM technology to transform the chemical energy liberated during the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. The main components (the fuel cell stack and components that handle air supply, hydrogen supply, cooling, and power control) are integrated into a compact package that can be easily adapted for use in cars. Toyota's PEM fuel cell technology, first used in the Mirai, has been repackaged in compact fuel cell modules with diverse applications.
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Toyota's collaboration with Caetanobus SA
Toyota has been investing in fuel cell technology since 1992. In 2018, Toyota announced that it would provide its hydrogen fuel cell technology to Caetanobus SA in Portugal. This collaboration between Toyota Motor Europe and the Portuguese bus engineering and production company, CaetanoBus SA, aimed to build hydrogen fuel cell city buses.
Toyota supplied its fuel cell systems, including fuel cell stacks, hydrogen tanks, and other key components to Caetanobus SA. The first fuel cell city buses were expected to be ready in a little over a year from the announcement, to be operated as demonstration buses by Caetanobus SA. The collaboration with Caetanobus SA is part of Toyota's vision of a decarbonized society, as stated in its 2050 environmental challenge, promoting the application of its hydrogen fuel cell technology beyond passenger cars.
The teams at TME and CaetanoBus have been working together since 2018, leveraging their engineering expertise and technical capabilities to develop a new hydrogen fuel cell bus. The result of this collaboration is the CaetanoBus H2.City Gold, co-branded with Toyota and unveiled at Busworld 2019 in Brussels. The H2.City Gold is equipped with Toyota's fuel cell technology, featuring a fuel cell stack and five hydrogen tanks with a total capacity of 37.5 kg, enabling a maximum range of 400 km. The hydrogen refuelling process takes less than nine minutes, and the bus emits only water vapour, making it a zero-emission solution for urban transportation.
In December 2020, Toyota Caetano Portugal (TCAP) became a direct shareholder of CaetanoBus to support its expansion into the development and sales of zero-emission buses. This move reinforced the longstanding partnership between Toyota and CaetanoBus, reflecting the increasing recognition of CaetanoBus's engineering capabilities and cutting-edge technology in the European bus market.
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Frequently asked questions
Toyota has been investing in and developing its own fuel cell technology since 1992. The company's third-generation fuel cell system (3rd Gen FC System) was unveiled in February 2025.
The 3rd Gen FC System is an improved fuel cell system designed to meet the needs of the commercial sector. It offers the same durability as conventional diesel-powered engines, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced costs. The system can be installed in a variety of vehicles, including passenger cars, heavy-duty commercial vehicles, ships, and trains.
Toyota is working towards achieving carbon neutrality and creating a positive impact on the planet and society. The company's Beyond Zero vision aims to go beyond just its products, services, and operations to find new ways to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
