Toyota Australia has embarked on a top-secret program with the Walkinshaw Group to help develop and test a hydrogen-fuelled, combustion-engined Toyota Tundra pick-up, sources have told carsales.
Walkinshaw is currently testing right-hand drive versions of the Toyota Tundra it has engineered and developed for Toyota Australia as the nation’s biggest auto brand prepares to join the popular and fast-growing full-size American pick-up truck segment – as early as next year, pending final approval from the Japanese giant’s parent company.
That makes Walkinshaw perfectly placed to test the Tundra with an advanced hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine (ICE) amid a fleet of 300 prototype pick-ups deployed as part of the Melbourne-based firm’s comprehensive re-engineering program.
What’s more, it also coincides with a world-first pilot program of global significance currently being run by Toyota Australia, in which a hydrogen-fuelled Toyota HiAce van is undergoing commercial validation with a Melbourne-based construction company.
Not to be confused with a hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) such as Toyota’s own Mirai, the so-called Hydrogen HiAce is powered by the same twin-turbo 3.5-litre petrol V6 found in a variety of Toyota and Lexus models worldwide, including the Tundra.
The high-spec Australian-market Tundra will feature the i-FORCE MAX hybrid version of this powertrain, but the non-hybrid i-FORCE engine is employed in entry-level and mid-range variants in the US.
So it should be a relatively straight-forward process to drop the hydrogen ICE into the Tundra – and fit the hydrogen storage tanks into its ladder-frame chassis, as per HiAce – to allow Walkinshaw and Toyota engineers to test the application in the pick-up.
In the HiAce, power and torque is limited to a modest 120kW and 354Nm respectively – down from 290kW/650Nm in the high-output version of the non-hybrid i-FORCE used in the Tundra.
Asked about the hydrogen ICE program with Tundra in Australia, a Toyota Australia spokesperson told carsales: “Toyota is always exploring opportunities, but we do not comment on speculation about vehicle development programs.
“Our focus with Tundra is the successful completion of the current customer evaluation program, leading to the retail introduction of this full-size pick-up truck.”
At the launch of the Hydrogen HiAce program last November, Toyota’s global president of hydrogen projects Mitsumasa Yamagata told carsales that frame-based vehicles such as Tundra, HiLux and LandCruiser were ideally suited to the ultra-low-emissions technology, which is seen as a more affordable and less complex alternative to hydrogen FCEVs.
“Yes, there is a possibility to adapt [hydrogen ICE] into those vehicles including LandCruiser, as the advantage of this technology can be utilised for those vehicles, including high towing and high loading [requirements],” he said.
Toyota Australia’s vice-president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, also highlighted the importance of offering broader solutions than simply battery-electric powertrains to help reduce carbon emissions as diesel is slowly phased out.
“BEVs will suit some people and some countries will adopt them a whole lot quicker because it works,” he said.
“But if you want it to do 700km and tow three-and-a-half tonnes, that’s a different matter.
“Therefore you need to be able to give what I call ‘silent Australians’ a choice and now we have yet another technology [hydrogen ICE] that we believe in the future – if it’s commercialised – will give that choice at a very compelling, affordable price.”
Hanley added that hydrogen ICE brings cost efficiencies through the use of existing technology and economies of scale, while emissions could be almost eliminated with the use of synthetic fuel, which like hydrogen is yet to become widely available in Australia.
“What we’ve showcased here in a world-first premiere is a hydrogen internal combustion engine alternative,” he said.
“Now whilst that’s not completely zero carbon neutral, it’s 99.8 per cent carbon neutral with 0.2 per cent only coming from the oils.
“This is the start but it’s certainly not the end. It’s in development but what we’re showcasing is our capability.
“And it also demonstrates that we’re putting a lot of investment, a lot of research, a lot of development into a multitude of different technologies.”