Toyota & Airbus Push Hydrogen Gasoline Cell Goals

CleanTechnica is lucky to have Michael Barnard as a part of its crack crew of reporters. In terms of the economics of utilizing hydrogen as a transportation gasoline, there are few who’ve the depth and breadth of data he does. The issue with hydrogen is that selling it requires a type of considering generally known as magic realism. It’s a staple for writers of fiction as a result of it permits them to create tales that seem believable however which aren’t really doable in the true world the place scientific rules apply. Individuals who educate literature typically describe the method for the reader because the “prepared suspension of disbelief.”

There may be loads of prepared suspension of disbelief in the case of hydrogen. The issue is, we desperately need the attract of hydrogen to be actual — emissions-free energy for our vehicles, vans, locomotives, ships, and airplanes. Who wouldn’t be seduced by such an interesting prospect? The idea of hydrogen-powered transportation is one factor; the fact is one thing else fully.

There are two issues with hydrogen as a gasoline: 1.) It isn’t zero emissions whether it is derived from fossil fuels. In reality, the conversion course of creates nice portions of carbon dioxide. Solely hydrogen made by splitting water molecules into their part components utilizing electrical energy from renewable power sources is really zero emissions. 2.) The price of inexperienced hydrogen is far too excessive to be commercially possible.

Those that advocate for hydrogen as a transportation gasoline are partaking in a type of magic realism by ignoring the emissions downside or glossing over the fee barrier. And but, the drumbeat for hydrogen continues unabated.

Hydrogen Vans From Toyota & VDL

In a press launch on June 19, 2025, Toyota Motor Europe introduced a partnership with VDL Group through which 4 heavy vans geared up with next-generation Toyota gasoline cells at the moment are transporting cargo between freight terminals in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

“Toyota has joined forces with its logistics suppliers … to introduce the zero tailpipe emission* heavy responsibility vans to its logistics operations. Toyota, along with these logistics suppliers, will repeatedly consider the efficiency of the gasoline cell vans within the day by day operations of Toyota Elements Centre Europe, which processes greater than 500,000 components and equipment on daily basis.

“The 40-tonne gasoline cell truck delivers related efficiency as a diesel truck, however with zero tailpipe emissions on related routes, as its motor is powered by electrical energy generated from hydrogen mixed with oxygen. With one single refuelling, the car can journey as much as 400 km underneath real-world driving circumstances. Moreover, the vibration-free electrical motor reduces disturbance to the neighborhood the truck passes by way of, whereas considerably enhancing driving consolation.”

Sharp-eyed readers will discover the * after the phrases “zero tailpipe emissions” within the first sentence of the press launch. Scroll right down to the underside of the press launch and you can find this extra info: “’Zero tailpipe emissions’ refers back to the powertrain the place no greenhouse gases or dangerous particles are emitted by the tailpipe whereas driving. Solely H2O is emitted by the tailpipe. Emissions should still exist at different levels of the product lifecycle (extraction, manufacturing, logistics, upkeep, recycling/scrapping…) but additionally throughout use (tyres, brakes…) and the manufacturing of hydrogen, relying on its supply.”

“Relying on its supply” is the essential half. In components of Europe, inexperienced hydrogen is mostly accessible, because of the provision of zero-emissions electrical energy from hydroelectric amenities. Norway particularly has an abundance of hydropower. However until the hydrogen utilized in these vans comes from such sources, this press announcement is little greater than greenwashing.

Electrive provides extra context to the announcement. “Toyota remains to be not offering any technical knowledge on the VDL hydrogen lorries,” it says. “Toyota’s well-known gasoline cell module for third-party prospects is on the market in two variations for vertical or horizontal set up, relying on the accessible set up house. The modules are every accessible with a rated output of 60 or 80 kW and are designed to cowl a voltage vary of 400 to 750 volts. Two of those modules are in all probability obligatory for the ability necessities of a lorry. Nevertheless, no knowledge is understood concerning the electrical drive, the buffer battery or the H2 tanks.”

The 4 gasoline cell powered vans are a part of a 5 12 months analysis program that Toyota says is a part of its purpose of providing zero-emissions automobiles by 2040. The CleanTechnica crew provides this announcement a ranking of “meehhh.”

Airbus & MTU Hydrogen-Powered Plane Partnership

In a June 18, 2025, press launch, Airbus and MTU Aero Engines introduced the signing of a memorandum of understanding that may speed up progress towards hydrogen gasoline cell propulsion for plane. The partnership will mix the experience of Airbus and MTU Aero Engines. Airbus has decided to focus its analysis efforts on hydrogen-powered plane with a gasoline cell engine, an space through which MTU has developed experience with its Flying Gasoline Cell idea.

The partnership will pursue a three-step plan. Step one will contain creating the technological constructing blocks wanted for hydrogen gasoline cell powered plane engines. The second step will contain “aligning the businesses’ highway maps on hydrogen applied sciences. The results of these joint explorations then would permit the events to contemplate a 3rd step in the direction of the event of a fuel-cell engine for a hydrogen powered plane,” the press launch stated. As soon as once more, CleanTechnica readers might discover themselves asking, “The place’s the meat?”

“Our concentrate on absolutely electrical gasoline cell propulsion expertise for future hydrogen-powered plane underscores our confidence and progress on this area,” stated Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Packages at Airbus. “Collaborating with MTU, a pacesetter in engine manufacturing and innovation, is an ideal complement to our personal developments. This partnership will permit us to pool our collective information, speed up the maturation of vital applied sciences, and finally ship a revolutionary hydrogen-powered propulsion system for future industrial plane. Collectively, we’re not simply imagining a sustainable way forward for flight, we’re actively pioneering it.”

“As a globally acknowledged engine professional, we’re pushed by the imaginative and prescient of a revolutionary propulsion idea that permits just about emissions-free flight,” stated Dr. Stefan Weber, SVP for engineering and expertise at MTU Aero Engines. “At the moment, we’re on the middle of a wide-ranging eco-system of companions aiming to attain the whole electrification of the powertrain through the use of gasoline cell expertise. Partnering with Airbus opens up the chance to collectively handle each expertise maturity and platform integration elements. Our joint efforts within the years to return are step one in paving the way in which for a possible product improvement sooner or later.”

Airbus has an ambition is to deliver a hydrogen-powered industrial plane to market. In March 2025, the corporate introduced it was specializing in a fully-electric gasoline cell propulsion system. “Past the plane applied sciences, Airbus will proceed to foster the emergence of a hydrogen aviation economic system and the related regulatory framework, that are additionally vital enablers to the appearance of hydrogen-powered flight at scale,” the press launch stated. MTU added it expects to start short-hop industrial flights in 2035.

Getting Excessive On Hydrogen

Each of those bulletins are all very good, pie within the sky (no pun meant), clear transportation information. And in a setting the place any progress towards addressing carbon emissions is now discouraged, not less than within the US, as a result of it doesn’t conform to the fossil gasoline faith, any progress is welcome. Nonetheless, too little too late is a phrase that involves thoughts after studying each of those bulletins.