- The legendary Toyota Hilux mid-size pickup truck is getting a hydrogen fuel cell variant.
- Toyota confirmed the FCEV pickup will join the all-electric and mild-hybrid diesel models in 2028.
- The automaker is targeting 248 miles of range on a full tank of hydrogen.
Toyota’s popular Hilux pickup truck is getting a hydrogen-powered version in 2028, the company confirmed earlier this week. The all-new Hilux FCEV will be the first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell mid-size pickup in Europe, where it will join the all-electric and mild-hybrid versions of the legendary nameplate.
Using a similar powertrain as the Mirai sedan, the production version of the hydrogen-powered truck will need roughly five minutes to refuel, which is vastly quicker than the Hilux EV’s 30-minute 10-to-80% top-up time. What’s more, Toyota targets 248 miles (400 kilometers) of driving range on a full tank for the FCEV model, significantly more than the 159 miles (257 km) offered by the EV, and a 5,512-pound (2,500-kilogram) towing capacity, up from the EV’s maximum 4,410 lbs (2,000 kg) capacity.
Add in the fact that a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle doesn’t produce any harmful emissions, with water being all that comes out of the tailpipe, and it’s clear that going for the Hilux FCEV makes a lot more sense than the all-electric version. However, if it were this simple, we would all be driving FCEVs, and this website would probably have been called InsideHydrogen.
The fact of the matter is that hydrogen filling stations are few and far between, and a hydrogen-powered vehicle is usually a lot more expensive than an EV, which is already more expensive than its gas-powered counterpart. We already know that Mirai owners in the U.S. have a very hard time refueling their cars, and it’s no different in Europe.
According to the European Hydrogen Observatory, there are just 179 operational hydrogen fueling stations in Europe and the United Kingdom, so owning an FCEV can quickly become a logistical nightmare. Meanwhile, EV owners in the European Union have access to a whopping 1.16 million public chargers, making the ownership experience a breeze.
Still, hats off to Toyota for trying to bring something new to the table. Back in 2022, the first Hilux H2 prototype debuted, followed by a fleet of 10 test vehicles in 2024. The latest test mules were rear-wheel drive and had three hydrogen tanks tucked inside the ladder-frame chassis and a lithium-ion battery under the bed, all of which enabled an estimated range of 373 miles (600 km).
It’s unclear whether the production Hilux FCEV that’s due in 2028 will retain the rear-wheel drive setup or if it will also offer a dual-motor, all-wheel drive option.
Gallery: Toyota Hilux (2026)
