Dive Brief:
- Toyota Motor Corp. is looking to invest in the fuel cell joint venture Cellcentric, becoming an equal shareholder alongside Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, according to a March 31 press release.
- Beyond its financial stake, Toyota and Cellcentric will work together to manage the development and manufacturing of fuel cell unit cells, as well as directly linked architecture and control elements.
- “Cellcentric, which possesses deep expertise in commercial fields, together with Toyota's over 30 years of fuel-cell development in the passenger car sector, can combine their strengths to deliver one of the world-leading fuel cell systems for heavy commercial vehicles,” said Koji Sato, president and CEO of Toyota, in the release.
Dive Insight:
Toyota’s planned investment in Cellcentric aligns with its long-term vision to create a hydrogen society, particularly in Japan.
The automaker produced its first fuel cell electric vehicle in 2014, and starting in 2019, it started supplying fuel cell systems for use in buses, rail and other applications to more than 100 customers worldwide.
More recently, Toyota debuted its third- generation fuel cell system, designed for both heavy-duty commercial and passenger vehicles. While the company has not disclosed specific metrics, it says the system offers durability comparable to diesel engines with a maintenance-free design.
Cellcentric’s next-generation fuel cell system — announced last year — fits in conventional 13-liter diesel engine compartments, enabling easier retrofits for trucks.
Although Toyota, Daimler Truck and Volvo Group will remain competitors in other areas, the companies say collaboration is essential to achieving the scale and investment efficiency needed to bring competitive fuel cell systems to market.
"Joining forces with the world's largest automotive manufacturer and fuel cell pioneer is a privilege for us ― and a game changer in making hydrogen in transportation a reality and Cellcentric the go to place for fuel cell technology in commercial vehicles worldwide,” said Andreas Gorbach, Daimler Truck board member and former cellcentric CEO, in the March 31 release.
