Toyota develops hydrogen vehicle at Derbyshire plant
The new hydrogen-powered Hilux will be on show at the Paris Olympics
- Published
Staff at Toyota's factory in Derbyshire have been part of a team that have designed and developed a new hydrogen-powered pick up truck.
It is the first time employees at the Burnaston site have been involved in the construction of a prototype since it opened in 1990.
The Toyota Hilux has a range of 373 miles (600km) and can be refilled from a pump in a similar way to a combustion engine, making it faster than recharging an electric car.
Katherine Chamberlain, senior manager of new product development, said the project was helping the company to transform itself.
Katherine Chamberlain said developing the vehicle had been a great opportunity for Burnaston staff
"The success of this we hope will lead to other early concept, prototype development here [at Burnaston] - so it is a really great opportunity for us," she said.
The vehicle is powered when hydrogen is mixed with oxygen in a fuel cell at the front where a conventional engine would sit, with the hydrogen stored in tanks at the back.
It is a green vehicle because water is the only emission rather than harmful petrol or diesel fumes.
There are hydrogen pumps at only a small number of fuel stations across the country at present
The Hilux, first built in 1968, is an off-road vehicle that is used on farms and in quarries.
Ms Chamberlain said the hydrogen version looked exactly the same as the standard model, with the alternative power system contained within the vehicle.
Ten prototypes have been built and four are being used at this summer's Paris Olympics, of which Toyota is a sponsor.
Ms Chamberlain said decisions about whether the vehicle will be mass-produced will be made by Toyota bosses in Japan.
If that does happen, it is expected to retail at a similar price to an equivalent electric vehicle.
The hydrogen engine is seen as a greener solution to powering vehicles
Chris Goffey, a motoring journalist who has previously presented on the BBC's Top Gear, said hydrogen was a more practical solution than electric batteries.
"I am greatly encouraged by this," he said. "We have been talking about hydrogen engines for the last 15 years.
"With hydrogen engines we get all the advantages of a combustion engine but with none of the emission problems."
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