Hino Australia has collaborated with Toyota Australia to produce Australia’s first mobile hydrogen refuelling station used as a support vehicle for three Toyota Mirai fuel-cell sedans.
The Hino 700 Series SS2848HR ProShift safely transports an innovative mobile hydrogen fuelling solution that is a temporary measure to cover the current lack of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Australia.
Bernie O’Connor, Toyota Australia’s fuel-cell project sponsor and senior executive adviser to the board, has praised the involvement Hino has had in the Mirai demonstration project.
“It is the first high-pressure hydrogen refueller in Australia that can completely fill a fuel-cell vehicle. This is a practical and necessary measure to enable people around Australia to learn about and experience the game-changing Mirai and its ground-breaking technology first-hand,” Mr O’Connor said.
Hino Australia’s product and marketing department provided resources to design and coordinate the production of the hydrogen refuelling station.
Hino Australia Product Strategy Manager Daniel Petrovski said supporting the Toyota Mirai is in line with the company’s forward vision.
“Closely following the 10th anniversary of our Hino Hybrid truck, Hino Australia’s involvement in other clean-energy initiatives backs our commitment to work towards a more sustainable transport industry,” Mr Petrovski said.
“In Japan, Hino is prototyping fuel-cell bus technology closely related to the hydrogen fuel-cell systems in the Toyota Mirai sedan. We’re proud to be able to partner with Toyota to support the fuel-cell vision in Australia.”
The Hino 700 Series SS2848HR ProShift features a purpose-built trailer with a generator and a hydrogen compressor able to cool and pressurise hydrogen to 70MPa (700bar) before being supplied to the Mirai sedan. (Hydrogen can also be provided at lower pressures to suit other vehicles, including forklifts.)
Ensuring the safety of operators and fellow road-users, the Hino 700 Series has been specified for dangerous goods transport and features a vertical exhaust, flame-proofed wiring and other safety measures.
Currently designed to transport the hydrogen refueller and a Mirai sedan, the Hino 700 Series will have the capacity to be reconfigured to transport up to 10 tonnes of hydrogen and nitrogen gas bottles.
The trailer was designed by Hino Australia in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation Australia and MaxiTRANS, and was fabricated in Victoria by MaxiTRANS at its manufacturing facility.
The trailer’s curtains were designed by Toyota’s Product Development team in collaboration with Hino Australia’s marketing team and manufactured by Fleetmark, with additional vinyl wrapping completed by Street Impact.
The Toyota Mirai is the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell sedan.
It is currently available in Japan, the United States and Europe in areas supported by refuelling infrastructure.
