Toyota Advances Hydrogen Fueling Technology For Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Fleets

Toyota Motor North America is advancing its hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck program through its Hydrogen Headquarters division. The company has installed two mobile hydrogen fueling units at its North American Parts Center California facility. These mobile stations will support logistics operations, specifically fueling trucks that transport freight between the Port of Los Angeles and Ontario, before a permanent facility is constructed on-site.

The initiative currently supports trucks commissioned through Hyroad Energy, with plans to incorporate vehicles featuring Toyota’s certified fuel cell powertrain in the future. To improve operational efficiency, Toyota is working with the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Colorado to develop 70 MPa high-flow hydrogen fueling technology. This system allows for fuel intake speeds of up to 300 grams per second, which is approximately five times faster than standard light-duty fueling methods.

Engineers have demonstrated that this high-flow technology enables heavy-duty trucks to refuel in roughly eight minutes, providing a range of up to 450 miles. This refueling speed is comparable to traditional diesel-powered trucks, though the fuel cell technology produces only water as an emission. Testing for these systems has been conducted according to SAE J2601-5 standards.

Toyota intends to upgrade its private fueling infrastructure at its Hydrogen Headquarters to match these high-flow standards over the coming months. The company also plans to install equipment for light passenger fuel cell electric vehicles to evaluate hardware reliability. Once the permanent station at the California distribution center becomes operational, it will provide both conventional and high-flow hydrogen fueling options. Commercial operations for production Toyota-powered trucks are scheduled to begin in 2027.