The hydrogen truck revolution continues.
Japanese carmaker Toyota is continuing its journey to change the way we haul goods, with the second iteration of the Project Portal hydrogen truck unveiled earlier this week packing major upgrades over the first Portal hauler. While the two trucks look broadly similar, the big changes have taken place under the skin.
The Project Portal truck, when it was first unveiled, packed a relatively modest 320km range with the tanks full of hydrogen. But thanks to Portal v1’s testing on public roads, which began in April, further refinements have been made to the hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, and so Portal v2 is vastly improved.
Beneath the body lies a 12kWh battery and a set of motors that produces a grand total of 500kW and 1,797Nm. As a result, the new Portal is capable of hauling over 36-tonnes of cargo, and can actually run for about 480km between refills. Further, a revised powertrain package means that space in the cab has been improved too, so Portal v2 can now accommodate a sleeping arrangement for drivers.
With over 16,000km covered since the original Project Portal began testing, the hydrogen hauler will continue Toyota’s efforts to improve the way we move goods. Some 43,000 diesel trucks are employed at ports across the United States and if Project Portal shows results, hydrogen may soon become the fuel of choice for haulers the world over.
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