The future is coming—and it will be quiet.

we ride in toyota’s hydrogen-powered big rig
Toyota

  • Toyota is developing and producing a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for big trucks.
  • The Toyota Fuel Cell powertrain is going into production in 2023.
  • Toyota says that this powertrain solution can retrofit diesel power and features a similar weight penalty to the rig.

    While the jury is still out on whether hydrogen fuel cells will play a big role in powering future consumer vehicles, it does show some promise in filling the long-range trucking space. That’s the thinking at Toyota, in any case, as the automaker has invested heavily in hydrogen-electric vehicles. This tech is still years away from seeing mass adoption on the roadways, but Toyota is readying its powertrain to see production start next year. As a simple proof of concept, the folks at Toyota stuffed their powertrain into a Kenworth T680 and took yours truly along for a ride.

    Before we get into the meat of how this thing felt, let’s talk about the hardware. This once-diesel-burning Kenworth rig has had its oil-burning engine and most of its supporting structure removed. Behind the cab, the team at Toyota fit six hydrogen fuel cells. These cells feed the fuel stack that generates electricity for the electric motors. The power travels through a four-speed automated-manual transmission of undisclosed origin before traveling to the drive axle at the rear.

    Now, if you’re seeing hydrogen storage and thinking Hindenbu rg, you’re not alone. Having a bunch of hydrogen stashed behind you can seem scary, despite the extensive safety tests run on the pressure vessels used to store said hydrogen—including being shot by a .50 caliber bullet.

    Toyota’s Chris Rovik, executive program manager, wheeled the trailer-less rig and let me ride along. With no trailer in tow, the truck felt, well, like a big rig. Even as a passenger, you can feel how much power the system has because of how effortlessly the bob-tailed semi hustles from a standing start.

    What’s more surprising is the absence of a clacking diesel mill and its exhaust, making the cabin eerily quiet. So quiet that it might push truck manufacturers to start chasing some of this noise away. Rovik notes, “All these new things that light-duty manufacturers have had to worry about for a long time are now suddenly more meaningful to them.”

    The squeaking and jostling inside that cabin might also have something to do with the prototypical nature of this rig. Fortunately for folks at Toyota, that noise, vibration, and harshness problem won’t be theirs to solve. Toyota isn’t going to take what it’s learned from its Prius, Tundra, or Mirai programs and suddenly churn out Class 8 trucks. Instead, Toyota is reaching out to partners to supply these powertrains to churn out hydrogen-powered trucks.

    Aside from the distinct lack of noise, and the reduced gear spread, the truck felt like a big rig. Sure, there wasn’t a trailer attached, which would likely dampen some of the spring in its hydrogen-fed step, but the transition to electrified powertrains should give big trucks the same torque advantage that we’re seeing in passenger cars.

    If you’re curious about wear, serviceability, and longevity, Toyota has, obviously, thought of those, too. The team at Toyota suggests that this powertrain should live about as long as you’d expect a diesel engine. Servicing the power unit is effectively limited to just filters, which keep clean the incoming air, which then bonds with the hydrogen and creates electricity.

    It’s hard to say how these powertrains will actually pan out until they’re unleashed en masse on public roadways. Though, if folks do adopt these Toyota power solutions, they might be seen more prominently at shipyards or areas with shorter runs—at least from the jump. The lack of fueling infrastructure and the relatively short 300-mile range when pulling 80,000 pounds would make it a challenge for long hauls.

    You might start to see these hitting your local truck stop sometime next year, when Toyota is set to launch this powertrain into production. Meanwhile, details about production partnerships still not available to the public. It’s going to be interesting to see which solution long-range trucking takes with alternative power, and this Toyota option is an interesting entry into the future.

    Wesley Wren Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between.

    Keyword: We Ride In Toyota’s Hydrogen-Powered Big Rig

    CAR'S NEWS RELATED

    Here’s Everything You Get In The Base 2024 Toyota Tacoma

    The steel wheels say “work truck,” but adaptive cruise and push-button start were the stuff of luxury cars only a few years ago.

    View more: Here’s Everything You Get In The Base 2024 Toyota Tacoma

    Toyota to sell massive $4.7B stake in top supplier as it looks to catch up in EV race

    Toyota is securing substantial funding as it looks to catch up in the EV race. Sources close to the matter say Toyota and its affiliates will sell a stake of around $4.7B in Denso, the second-largest global auto supplier. Toyota plans to sell around 10% (roughly $4.7 billion) of ...

    View more: Toyota to sell massive $4.7B stake in top supplier as it looks to catch up in EV race

    The Crown Signia Is A Wagon Regardless Of What Toyota Says

    Image: Toyota American car buyers, for the most part, are not fans of wagons. The long roof body style has almost disappeared from the U.S. car market with only a few models remaining. There is the ever-popular Subaru Outback, and some more expensive options from Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo. ...

    View more: The Crown Signia Is A Wagon Regardless Of What Toyota Says

    Five most affordable automatic cars in South Africa

    Suzuki S-Presso 1.0 GL Auto – R188,900 Renault Kwid 1.0 Zen Auto – R212,999 Proton Saga 1.3 Standard Auto – R224,900 Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL Auto – R225,900 Toyota Vitz 1.0 XR Auto – R239,900 When it comes to city driving, an automatic gearbox is one of the best ...

    View more: Five most affordable automatic cars in South Africa

    2024 Toyota Tacoma First Drive: A Sure Bet Remains So

    •    Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma. Toronto, ON – This past May, Toyota unveiled the new generation of its Tacoma pickup truck. That happened in Hawaii, an exotic locale to be sure, but it happens to be where the model has been the best-selling ...

    View more: 2024 Toyota Tacoma First Drive: A Sure Bet Remains So

    The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Starts At $32,995

    It’s still one of the most affordable trucks in the segment.

    View more: The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Starts At $32,995

    The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Adds Some Polish But Keeps The Fun

    Thanks to a torquey, 270-hp four-cylinder and an available six-speed manual, the new Taco is a charmer.

    View more: The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Adds Some Polish But Keeps The Fun

    Toyota Selling Shorty Land Cruiser 70 For $46,000 But There’s A Catch

    The Land Cruiser 70 Series will turn 40 next year but it's still going strong.

    View more: Toyota Selling Shorty Land Cruiser 70 For $46,000 But There’s A Catch

    Exclusive: Toyota group companies plan $4.7 billion sale of Denso stake

    2024 Toyota Camry NASCAR Cup Series Contender Gets The Road Car's New Looks

    The Only New Toyota Camry That Won't Be A Hybrid Is Racing In NASCAR

    New Toyota Hilux Champ – Engines and interior revealed

    You Can Buy Toyota's Tiny $13,000 Work Truck But Not In The US

    Kia Sonet Vs Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Price, Engine Specs & Dimensions Comparison

    The Toyota Corolla GR Sport - Unassuming, Uncompromising Thrills

    Affordable hatchbacks with the best warranties in South Africa

    Next-gen Ford Mustang – The competitors at R1.5 million

    5 car brands South Africa’s middle class loves

    Toyota and Solid-State Batteries for EVs: Patience Is In Order

    Toyota is still greenwashing after change in leadership

    OTHER CAR NEWS

    ; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
    Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel