- Toyota will introduce their third-generation fuel cell on February 19.
- It promises to be cheaper, more durable, and 20% more fuel efficient.
- The latest powertrain will arrive after 2026 and be used in many vehicles.
Electric vehicles are growing in popularity, but a handful of automakers continue to invest in fuel cell vehicles. Toyota is one of their biggest proponents and the company has released the first details about their third-generation fuel cell system.
Set to be unveiled at the International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo in Tokyo on February 19, the company’s third-generation fuel cell system promises to be a major step forward. The automaker is also promising “significant cost” reductions thanks to “innovations in cell design and manufacturing processes.”
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Besides being more affordable, Toyota’s latest fuel cell system promises to be up to twice as durable. In fact, the company says their third-generation system has durability comparable to a diesel engine.
Engineers also focused on improving fuel efficiency and this results in a 20% increase in “cruising range.” While the current Mirai can travel 402 miles (647 km) between stops, hydrogen prices in California skyrocketed to record highs last year. This means any increase in fuel efficiency would be a welcome development.
We’ll likely learn more next week, but Toyota said the third-generation fuel cell system can be installed in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, ships, trains, and stationary generators. It’s slated to arrive after 2026 and will be offered in North America, Europe, China, and Japan.
Since the Mirai was launched in 2014, Toyota has sold approximately 28,000 units globally. The company’s fuel cell system has also been used in over 2,700 other applications ranging from buses to generators.
