This may look like an ordinary Kenworth semi truck, but it is actually a Toyota “Project Portal” concept. It is a hydrogen fuel-cell electric semi truck that Toyota built as a proof of concept for zero emissions freight transportation. This concept truck will undergo testing at the shipping ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles this summer.
Toyota will not be outdone by recent electrified semi-truck announcements from Nikola and Tesla.
Toyota is already selling a Mirai fuel-cell sedan in California. Under the skin, Toyota added two Mirai fuel cells stacks and a 12 kWh battery. Total output is 670 horsepower and 1,325 lb-ft of torque. The truck is rated at a gross combined weight of 80,000 lbs, which is the same a standard long-haul truck. However, this concept semi truck can go about 200 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen. This range makes sense for port operations. Clearly, the concept is not meant for long-haul trucking.
Electrification of semi-trucks is a natural progression, and the hydrogen fuel-cell technology could be one of the practical and sustainable solutions.
Here is a good-old turbo-diesel racing semi truck for a bit of nostalgia.