It’s not fairly often Toyota decides to decide on Australia to globally reveal a brand new powertrain know-how.
The Japanese carmaker has been engaged on hydrogen-fuelled inside combustion engine (ICE) know-how since 2017 via motorsport, however it’s now branching out and exploring the know-how’s viability within the demanding business sector.
The Toyota Hydrogen HiAce prototype is a modified 12-seater HiAce Commuter van that may quickly be examined by Australian corporations as a part of a pilot program set to kick off later this month.
Toyota claims hydrogen-fuelled ICE know-how is a low-investment and low-cost solution to introduce hydrogen because it’s constructing on current internal-combustion engine know-how. It’s additionally claimed to “dramatically scale back” CO2 tailpipe emissions and have an analogous refuelling time as conventional petrol- or diesel-fuelled automobiles.
The corporate says hydrogen-fuelled ICE know-how has a combustion effectivity that’s larger than a petroleum engine and far nearer to a diesel-powered engine. As such, it’s claimed to be finest suited to excessive loading and excessive towing use circumstances.
For now, the one catch is hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Australia is extraordinarily restricted. In Victoria there’s at the moment only one refuelling station which is owned and operated by Toyota in Altona.
The Japanese carmaker did nonetheless, lately signal a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai, Ampol and Pacific Vitality to develop extra hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Australia.
Will this sort of powertrain know-how discover its toes in Australia? Learn alongside to search out out.
What’s the Toyota Hydrogen HiAce like on the within?
Strolling as much as the Toyota Hydrogen HiAce prototype, there’s no quick solution to distinguish between this and the common HiAce Commuter van other than the loud livery and blue accents.
For those who look somewhat bit nearer nonetheless, there’s a H2 sticker on the gasoline filler cap which signifies this prototype must be fuelled with hydrogen, and there’s additionally a refined H2 badge on the tailgate.
Hopping into the Hydrogen HiAce prototype is similar to the common HiAce. It’s truthful solution to climb and I’m grateful there’s a step to make this simpler.
When you’re sat within the driver’s seat there’s just one apparent distinction from common HiAce van to this hydrogen-fuelled prototype, which is the strange-looking monitor on high of the dashboard.
This dashboard-mounted monitor is totally crucial because it shows info relating to the strain and temperature of the hydrogen tanks, in addition to how a lot hydrogen is left.
Given this HiAce is an early prototype and not at all a series-production automobile, there are additionally just a few issues that haven’t been correctly ported over. One in every of these is the gasoline gauge at all times says it has no gasoline regardless of the tanks having hydrogen in them.
It’s apparent the inside of the Hydrogen HiAce prototype is only a take a look at mattress for this burgeoning powertrain know-how and there’s nonetheless a good solution to go earlier than it’s commercialised.
Trying elsewhere across the cabin you’d be hard-pressed to search out something totally different from the common HiAce Commuter.
The Hydrogen HiAce prototype retains all 12 seats of the common Commuter physique model, in addition to the utterly flat ground within the rear passenger compartment.
Similar to up the entrance, there’s solely small distinction between this hydrogen-fuelled prototype and the common HiAce Commuter van.
Proper within the again nook of the Hydrogen HiAce prototype is a cage which accommodates computing {hardware} that data a variety of telematics on the automobile and broadcasts it again to Japan in real-time.
Toyota selected the HiAce because the pilot automobile to check this new hydrogen-fuelled powertrain know-how as a result of it gives the chance to suit the interior combustion engine up entrance, and the three hydrogen tanks underneath the ground and between the chassis rails.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
In contrast to the common Toyota HiAce offered in Australia, which is now solely powered by a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, this hydrogen prototype is powered by a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 engine modified to run on compressed hydrogen gasoline as an alternative of petrol.
This engine is at the moment used with petrol within the Lexus LX 600 in Australia, in addition to the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Sequence in different markets. Toyota claims one of many few modifications made to the engine are the injectors, which permit it to run on compressed hydrogen gasoline.
The hydrogen-fuelled V6 engine within the HiAce prototype produces 120kW of energy and 354Nm of torque. That is 185kW and 296Nm lower than its petrol-fuelled counterpart. Drive is shipped to the rear wheels solely via a 10-speed computerized transmission.
The inner combustion engine is fed by three hydrogen gasoline tanks much like those used within the present Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell electrical automobile (FCEV). The Mirai has a hydrogen capability of 5.6kg.
Toyota claims the Hydrogen HiAce prototype has a spread of round 200km. For context, the Mirai has an NEDC claimed vary of 650km.
This theoretically means the Hydrogen HiAce prototype consumes thrice the quantity of hydrogen the Mirai does when driving.
Few different technical particulars are recognized concerning the Hydrogen HiAce prototype at this stage, although it does have a 1500kg towing capability and “minimal influence” on payload and inside house.
Toyota claims it’s already engaged on rising the dimensions of the hydrogen storage tanks and enhancing combustion, in addition to exploring the potential of including hybrid know-how.
It’s value noting there’s already a petrol-electric hybrid model of the three.4-litre twin-turbo V6 engine within the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. This engine can be good if Toyota is already trying to hybridise for its hydrogen-fuelled ICE know-how.
How does the Toyota Hydrogen HiAce drive?
The Toyota Hydrogen HiAce prototype has a unusual startup sequence because of the truth it’s a prototype automobile.
When beginning up the hydrogen-fuelled van you utilize the common key however you have to cease one click on earlier than the automobile turns automobile over because the automobile’s methods have to assess whether or not it’s okay and able to go.
As soon as the automobile is prepared, the dashboard-mounted monitor shows a cute message saying ‘You Can Drive!’. Turning over the engine on this prototype I used to be totally anticipating to really feel and listen to the clatter and grumble of the common HiAce’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.
What I bought as an alternative was the silky easy startup of the twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that has been modified to make use of hydrogen. It has a crisp idle sound that’s similar to its petrol-fuelled counterpart.
By way of truly driving of the Hydrogen HiAce prototype, I solely did just a few laps of a take a look at observe on the Toyota Australia Autodrome in Altona, Victoria.
The course itself is a brief easily paved circuit with various pace limits, and the prototype van was utterly unladen other than having three passengers onboard.
Setting off within the Hydrogen HiAce prototype, it’s abundantly clear this automobile continues to be a van. It feels big behind the wheel, although in actuality it’s not any bigger than the common tremendous long-wheelbase diesel-powered HiAce Commuter.
I instantly picked up on extremely gentle steering when driving. This made turning and altering route within the hydrogen-fuelled HiAce very easy. The Hydrogen HiAce prototype truly has an electrical power-assisted steering (EPAS) system as an alternative of the common HiAce’s hydraulic energy steering system.
The rationale for that is the prototype’s 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 can’t be mated with a hydraulic energy steering system. What the engineers behind the prototype did as an alternative was alter the EPAS system from a LandCruiser 300 and made it match within the HiAce physique utilizing customized components.
Regardless of gaining an EPAS system, this hydrogen-fuelled HiAce prototype doesn’t undertake any lively lane-keep help functionalities that steers you again right into a lane in the event you drift over a line marking.
Hydraulic energy steering-equipped automobiles, just like the common HiAce, don’t have the potential to have lane-keep help and solely typically have lane departure warning which simply beeps while you go over a marked line on the highway.
It’s value flagging the Hydrogen HiAce prototype is not at all a pace demon. Its hydrogen-fuelled 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 engine is extraordinarily docile on this utility with 120kW and 354Nm.
Cruising at low speeds is when the Hydrogen HiAce prototype feels most relaxed. Even then the van doesn’t really feel prefer it has that rather more to provide and as an alternative prefers to be pushed conservatively. Velocity does dial up at a slower-than-expected tempo, however you’ll get to the place you have to go – ultimately.
Punching the Hydrogen HiAce prototype somewhat tougher doesn’t actually encourage confidence. Once you do that you’re met an absolute wealth of turbo lag.
Toyota is properly conscious of this turbo lag and that’s why it’s at the moment assessing whether or not hybrid know-how may assist increase low-end torque – I’m positive recalibrating the twin-turbos would additionally help. As soon as you finally get out of the turbo lag gap, there isn’t a heap to telephone house about. The engine simply revs and feels prefer it’s begging you to cease.
The hydrogen-fuelled model of this 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 has a redline of 4400rpm, in comparison with the 5200rpm redline of its petrol equal.
Toyota Australia senior supervisor for automobile analysis and rules, Ray Munday, stated the hydrogen-fuelled engine can rev larger however there’s no cause to. I assume it’s additionally protected to say it’s higher to err on the aspect of warning with high-pressure hydrogen gasoline.
Peak torque for the hydrogen-fuelled engine can also be developed excessive up within the rev vary, much like a non-turbo petrol engine.
One thing that helps hold the van in its torque band as a lot as attainable is the 10-speed computerized transmission. There are many ratios to select from, although it may possibly typically stumble while you punch the accelerator unexpectedly.
Throughout my drive on the take a look at observe there was a straight part the place I made a decision to strive a 0-100km/h take a look at. I didn’t have any official timing gear with me, however utilizing a stopwatch I clocked a 0-100km/h dash time of round 20 seconds.
By the point I truly reached 100km/h I wanted to brake fairly closely because the straight was ending very shortly. Given the shortage of the facility, I do know I wouldn’t wish to get caught behind this automobile with a full load of individuals because it’s merging onto the freeway, for instance.
The hydrogen-fuelled van can also be stated to have a braked towing capability of 1500kg, which might doubtless additionally gradual it down significantly.
Lastly I’d like to debate hydrogen consumption. Round 200km of vary on this prototype could be okay for some companies that do quick point-to-point shuttles, however I’m positive they’ll even be making a good variety of journeys again to Altona to refuel.
I look ahead to Toyota having the ability to drop in some bigger hydrogen tanks so the claimed vary determine rises to a degree that’s extra comparable with a equally sized all-electric business van, just like the Peugeot E-Professional (as much as 350km).
CarExpert’s Tackle the Toyota Hydrogen HiAce
To not be too harsh on the Toyota Hydrogen HiAce prototype, however in its present kind it’s not very highly effective, doesn’t have very a lot vary, and can doubtless value an arm and a leg if it turns into commercialised.
It’s apparent Toyota’s hydrogen inside combustion engine know-how continues to be in its infancy and I do have to provide the Japanese carmaker credit score for creating one thing outdoors of the field. It’s not on a regular basis you get to drive a HiAce with a modified twin-turbo V6 crammed in it.
Regardless of my gripes, I’m genuinely excited to see the place this sort of know-how goes over the subsequent 5 to 10 years.
I’m positive there’s a marketplace for this sort of high-use, high-load and low-emissions business automobile that may be refuelled in a couple of minutes, however it won’t find yourself being Australia.
The native hydrogen refuelling infrastructure must scale up to be able to make this sort of automobile viable, although the very fact this prototype automobile even exists is hopefully a step in the appropriate route.
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BUY: Toyota HiAce
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