Hydrogen fuel gets more backing from Toyota

Hydrogen fuel gets more backing from Toyota

April 2, 2013 0 By Bret Williams

Toyota Hydrogen Fuel

Toyota continues to embrace hydrogen fuel

Famed Japanese automaker Toyota has been showing stronger support for hydrogen fuel recently. The company has long held an interest in electric vehicles, but has opted to support those that are powered by lithium-ion batteries over those powered by fuel cells. This is largely due to the extensive investments the company has committed to its acclaimed Prius brand of hybrid and electric vehicles. Last year, Toyota announced that it was beginning to take hydrogen fuel more seriously, however, and rumors suggested that its luxury brand, Lexus, was testing a hydrogen-powered vehicle in the U.S.

Automaker pledges support to the London Hydrogen Partnership

As Toyota becomes more interested in hydrogen fuel, it is looking to support projects that encourage the adoption of hydrogen as a power source for future transportation. To this end, Toyota has become the latest company to pledge support to the London Hydrogen Partnership, an initiative designed to promote hydrogen fuel in transportation as well as establish a comprehensive infrastructure capable of supporting these vehicles. The United Kingdom is home to a very modest infrastructure currently, but initiatives like the London Hydrogen partnership are working to expand this infrastructure over the coming years.

Initiative will benefit from Toyota’s experience with fuel cells

As a supporter of the London Hydrogen Partnership, Toyota will supply the initiative with insight concerning the use of hydrogen fuel cells and other low-carbon technologies that can be used in transportation. While Toyota has not been a supporter of hydrogen transportation for very long, the automaker has held a very strong interest in fuel cells for other purposes. Last year, Toyota unveiled its own version of the hydrogen fuel cell, which was designed to provide clean energy for industrial purposes. Toyota has put its substantial resources to good use time and again to make progress in the field of fuel cell technology.

Hydrogen transportation still has a long way to go

Hydrogen transportation is becoming a more attractive topic around the world, but many people have yet to be convinced that hydrogen-powered vehicles will ever be taken seriously. Many consumers consider fuel cells to be an overly expensive solution to a relatively simple problem; favoring lithium-ion batteries or, in some cases, water as a viable alternative to fossil-fuels. Hydrogen transportation is also faced with the lack of a comprehensive infrastructure, which could serve to derail any future plans automakers and governments may have for hydrogen-powered vehicles.

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