Toyota New Zealand is collaborating with numerous local businesses to conduct the country’s first commercial hydrogen vehicle trial.
The Warehouse, Spark, Air New Zealand, and five other companies will donate cash and participate in the car sharing system to test two Toyota Mirais, with the possibility of adding more over the course of three months.
The trial will begin on 1 May in Auckland, with the objective of establishing a zero-emission area in the core city.
The cars will be refueled with green hydrogen supplied by Halcyon Power, Japan’s Obayashi Corporation, and Australia’s H2H Energy at the Ports of Auckland.
Toyota New Zealand general manager Andrew Davis told RNZ that the trial was designed to demonstrate to the public that hydrogen is a viable energy source in New Zealand.
“If we can showcase that we can produce green hydrogen, we can use it, we can provide vehicles and share them across large organisations, the potential to reduce our impact on the New Zealand environment and ultimately on the planet is really high.”
Additionally, the trial will evaluate the feasibility of automobile sharing amongst businesses as a means of reducing emissions.
Toyota was positive about hydrogen’s potential as a fuel source, stating that it can store more energy in a smaller volume, making it ideal for cars with large payloads and a long range.
Davis stated that the Mirai’s fuel cell technology has a plethora of potential applications that the company was exploring.
“Aside from this trial we will certainly be starting to talk to partners to see what our role is and how we can assist in getting hydrogen power in the New Zealand market.”
The corporation admitted that the country’s hydrogen infrastructure was still in its infancy and that the trial was conducted to encourage additional investment in order to capitalize on the rapidly growing hydrogen export industry.
Hiringa Energy, based in Taranaki, said last year that it would invest $50 million to create four green-hydrogen refueling stations along critical North Island transport corridors.
The company had struck an agreement with US-based hydrogen vehicle manufacturer Hyzon Motors to send 20 trucks into the nation, which the TR Group would own and lease.
By the end of 2022, Hiringa expected the vehicles and fueling stations to be operating. It would provide the network with hydrogen generated at the refueling stations.
However, the trucks and the expense of refueling them would be more expensive, which might be passed on to end users.
In November, Hiringa CEO Andrew Clennett told RNZ that hydrogen-powered trucks may not be cost competitive with diesel trucks until 2025-2026.
Andrew Davis stated that key stakeholders will need to collaborate across a variety of industries in order to scale up green hydrogen production and help drive down prices.
Channel Infrastructure, previously Refining New Zealand, was already investigating the prospect of establishing a green hydrogen plant on its site following the decommissioning of substantial portions of the plant.
Meridian Energy and Contact Energy were also seeking funding partners to help them build a green hydrogen manufacturing facility in Southland.
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