In order to power vehicles that bring items to convenience stores, Toyota Motor Corp. said that it will collaborate with a Thai company to manufacture hydrogen made from farm animal waste.
The Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, a partner of the Japanese auto giant, has interests in retail, livestock farming, and chemical products in Southeast Asia and China.
The joint company seeks to produce enough hydrogen using biogas made from animal manure to run the fuel cell delivery vehicles used by the CP Group.
In Thailand’s market for new cars, Toyota has a 30% market share advantage. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, it anticipates that the initiative will provide additional possibilities for next-generation autos other than electric ones.
The 7-Eleven convenience store and supermarket chains are run by CP Group in Thailand.
While operating, fuel cell vehicles produce no carbon dioxide. Another benefit is that, like gasoline-powered cars, they can be readily refueled.
According to officials, delivery vehicles have set routes, so the current lack of hydrogen filling stations won’t cause any issues.
In November, Toyota established Thailand’s first hydrogen refueling station in collaboration with other parties and Thailand’s state-owned oil business, PTT Public Co.
Toyota and CP Group will also work to improve logistics efficiency, for instance by utilizing web connectivity to access big data on traffic flow and suggest the best delivery routes.
During a news conference in Bangkok in December, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said, “Electric vehicles are significant, but they are not the only choice.” “We need to expand our options right now,”
Toyoda claimed that manufacturers with connections to the CP Group will also join the project in addition to Japanese firms, “offering the Thais more options.”
