Toyota unveils first Derbyshire-built hydrogen-powered pick-up

Toyota Manufacturing UK has unveiled a prototype hydrogen fuel cell-powered pick-up, which has been developed and built at its Derbyshire factory.

At a ceremony held at the manufacturing giant’s Burnaston plant earlier this week, the firm lifted the lid on its new hydrogen-fuelled Hilux Prototype pick-up.

The unveiling represented a significant milestone for the company in its progress towards achieving zero carbon – and for Burnaston as it represents the manufacturing site’s first development project.

The ground-breaking zero emissions pick-up has been developed by a consortium led by Toyota, with backing from the UK Government.

Richard Kenworthy, managing director of Toyota Manufacturing UK, said: “The project team have accomplished an incredible job in a very short space of time, from creating the prototype build area to completion of the first vehicle.

“The UK Government funding has enabled us not only to develop a new vehicle in record time, but also to upskill our teams to work on hydrogen-related technologies, something we hope to build on in the future.

“This is a great vote of confidence in UK manufacturing and its potential to deliver carbon-free vehicles to meet future targets.”

The £11.3 million project to create the vehicle, known as the FCEV Hilux, began in early 2022 with a feasibility study undertaken by Toyota Manufacturing UK and Toyota Motor Europe with consortium partners Ricardo, ETL, D2H Advanced Technologies and Thatcham Research.

£5.6 million of funding was subsequently gained from the UK Government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a non-profit organisation supporting the development of cleaner technologies and new mobility concepts.

Prototype construction began on 5 June this year in a dedicated area within the Burnaston factory.

The first vehicle was completed just three weeks later, the first of 10 that will be built by the end of this year.

These will undergo rigorous testing around the world to ensure safety, dynamic performance, functionality and durability.

The project saw the team take proven core elements from the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric saloon and apply them to the Hilux.

However, it also involved designing and manufacturing a number of bespoke components.

Importantly, it also involved Toyota Manufacturing UK staff developing and applying new skills relating to fuel cell electrified vehicles and hydrogen system components.

Toyota’s Burnaston plant is renowned for its manufacturing capabilities – producing the Corolla.

However, the FCEV Hilux was its first ever development project.

Tim Freeman, deputy managing director of Toyota Manufacturing UK, told Marketing Derby, he was proud of the way staff had responded to the challenge.

He said: “We have been manufacturing vehicles here in Derbyshire for 30 years and in that time have developed a lot of skills.

“So, we were delighted to be given this opportunity and I am very proud of the way the team have risen to the challenge.”

The Hilux is regarded as an iconic vehicle in motoring, renowned for its reliability and durability.

The hydrogen-fuelled Hilux is part of Toyota’s multi-technology strategy, which ultimately aims to achieve carbon-free mobility.

The strategy involves developing different powertrain solutions – hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, battery electric and fuel cell electric – to suit different user needs and operating environments worldwide.

In terms of the hydrogen-fuelled Hilux, its three high-pressure fuel tanks take just minutes to fill, giving it an expected driving range of more than 365 miles.

This makes it an ideal vehicle for long distance journeys and for those who operate in remote locations, such as the emergency services.

Ian Constance, chief executive of the APC, said: “The Toyota Hilux project is a fantastic example of collaborative R&D which has designed, integrated, and delivered a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

“The project consortium has made significant progress to deliver several vehicle demonstrators developed and built in the UK.

“Seeing the prototype hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Hilux global launch within a year of the start of the project is a clear demonstration of the capabilities and strengths of the UK’s automotive supply chain.”

Nusrat Ghani, minister for industry and economic security, said: “We have an amazing manufacturing sector here in the UK, and this is a great example.

“It’s fantastic to see Toyota reach another milestone on their journey to zero emissions here in Britain, and I congratulate the project team for their success on this cutting-edge development.

“This is a great vote of confidence in UK manufacturing and its potential to deliver carbon-free vehicles to meet future targets.”