Toyota Motor Corp. said Saturday it plans to begin public road tests of a commercial van in Australia next spring, aiming to roll out what could be the world’s first vehicle powered by both a hydrogen engine and an electric motor.
The hydrogen-electric hybrid HiAce van was unveiled to the media the same day, with its driving range extended by 20 percent to 250 kilometers compared with when it runs only on hydrogen, the carmaker said.
The test is part of Toyota’s “multi-pathway strategy,” through which the automaker aims to provide a range of green vehicles, including gasoline-electric hybrids, hydrogen-powered fuel cells and battery electric vehicles, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and cater to local market demands. Hydrogen-engine vehicles emit nearly zero CO2.
Toyota Motor Co. unveils the commercial hybrid HiAce van powered by hydrogen and electricity in Shizuoka Prefecture on Nov. 16, 2024….
