Move would give automaker a massive range of low-emissions products
Alternative to fuel cells that uses low-carbon fuel
Toyota continues to push hydrogen-powered cars and is heavily invested in the fuel cell as a zero-emissions future driveline. Now, the automaker is planning to have two new hydrogen-powered vehicles in showrooms by the end of next year, says a new report. And this time it doesn’t mean fuel cells.
According to Forbes, Toyota is planning to add both a hydrogen Prius as well as a Corolla to the automaker’s lineup. The report says that the two would join the Toyota Mirai in showrooms by the end of next year.
An all-new Prius is expected to arrive late next year. In addition to the normal hybrid powertrain, it’s expected to have a hydrogen-powered PHEV model added to the lineup in early 2023, Forbes says. It would be the first time Toyota has combined H2 and a plug-in model. We want to point out here that the report indicates Toyota is planning a conventional engine powered by hydrogen fuel, not a fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. It’s an important difference and one that would make it much easier to bring the tech to production.
Toyota has said that it plans to launch a hydrogen-powered Corolla by 2023, according to the report. That comes after using a hydrogen-powered Corolla to compete at the Fuji 24-Hours as a demonstration of the technology. These two vehicles, alongside Toyota’s gasoline hybrids and the upcoming bZ EV, would showcase one of the widest ranges of low-emissions vehicles on the market.
