Toyota has won £11.3 million of support to develop a pick-up truck powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
The backing will support up to 250 jobs at the Derbyshire-based car giant and could one day pave the way for Toyota’s Deeside factory, in north Wales, switching from building internal combustion engines to hydrogen fuel cell production.
Hydrogen fuel cells which can power anything from trucks and cars to radio transmitters and phones. Power is generated through chemical reaction and the only by-product is water.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy says it has potential as a renewable fuel in isolated settings such as farms and quarries where pick-ups might be used, and where electric vehicle charging might be less practical.
Toyota has received £5.6 million of the funding from government with a further £5.7 million from industry to develop and pilot production of green Hilux truck.
The support was among more than £70 million in joint government and automobile industry funding for five clean transport tech projects across the UK. The money comes through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development programme, which supports low and zero-carbon automotive tech.
Toyota Manufacturing UK managing director Richard Kenworthy said: “This exciting project allows Toyota the opportunity to develop a unique fuel cell commercial vehicle on the iconic Hilux platform, in the UK.
“This will significantly contribute to the skill base not only within Toyota in the UK but also through the consortium partners and wider supply chain.
“The collaboration with highly skilled technical engineering companies of all sizes allows the development of new and innovative solutions.
“We would like to thank the APC for their support in realising this bid as well as the UK Government in recognising a key opportunity to decarbonise a critical vehicle segment required by industry.”
Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our automotive industry is a world-leader, creating jobs whether in Essex, Somerset or Glasgow.
“Seizing the potential from new technologies will be a key part of its future success, while also making our roads cleaner, greener and more affordable.”
APC chief executive Ian Constance said: “Supporting vital research and development in the UK, now more than ever, provides an opportunity to invest in transport decarbonisation as well as boost growth in the automotive sector.
The other UK schemes being supported include work on a new way of building magnet electric motors in Somerset; a hydrogen fuel cell-powered HGV cab and tractor unit in Glasgow; a project to find lower carbon and cheaper sources of recycled aluminium alloys for the car industry in Slough; and work on a methane powered, off-road tractor in Basildon, Essex.
