Toyota & Airbus Push Hydrogen Gas Cell Desires

CleanTechnica is lucky to have Michael Barnard as a part of its crack workforce of reporters. Relating to the economics of utilizing hydrogen as a transportation gas, there are few who’ve the depth and breadth of data he does. The issue with hydrogen is that selling it requires a type of pondering often known as magic realism. It’s a staple for writers of fiction as a result of it permits them to create tales that seem believable however which aren’t really potential in the actual world the place scientific rules apply. Individuals who train literature typically describe the method for the reader because the “keen suspension of disbelief.”

There’s loads of keen suspension of disbelief in relation to hydrogen. The issue is, we desperately need the attract of hydrogen to be actual — emissions-free energy for our vehicles, vans, locomotives, ships, and airplanes. Who wouldn’t be seduced by such an interesting prospect? The speculation of hydrogen-powered transportation is one factor; the truth is one thing else fully.

There are two issues with hydrogen as a gas: 1.) It’s not zero emissions whether it is derived from fossil fuels. Actually, the conversion course of creates nice portions of carbon dioxide. Solely hydrogen made by splitting water molecules into their element elements utilizing electrical energy from renewable vitality sources is really zero emissions. 2.) The price of inexperienced hydrogen is far too excessive to be commercially possible.

Those that advocate for hydrogen as a transportation gas are participating in a type of magic realism by ignoring the emissions downside or glossing over the price barrier. And but, the drumbeat for hydrogen continues unabated.

Hydrogen Vans From Toyota & VDL

In a press launch on June 19, 2025, Toyota Motor Europe introduced a partnership with VDL Group during which 4 heavy vans outfitted with next-generation Toyota gas cells at the moment are transporting cargo between freight terminals in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

“Toyota has joined forces with its logistics suppliers … to introduce the zero tailpipe emission* heavy obligation vans to its logistics operations. Toyota, along with these logistics suppliers, will repeatedly consider the efficiency of the gas cell vans within the every day operations of Toyota Elements Centre Europe, which processes greater than 500,000 elements and equipment each day.

“The 40-tonne gas cell truck delivers related efficiency as a diesel truck, however with zero tailpipe emissions on related routes, as its motor is powered by electrical energy generated from hydrogen mixed with oxygen. With one single refuelling, the automobile can journey as much as 400 km below real-world driving circumstances. Moreover, the vibration-free electrical motor reduces disturbance to the neighborhood the truck passes by, whereas considerably bettering driving consolation.”

Sharp-eyed readers will discover the * after the phrases “zero tailpipe emissions” within the first sentence of the press launch. Scroll all the way down to the underside of the press launch and you’ll find this extra info: “’Zero tailpipe emissions’ refers back to the powertrain the place no greenhouse gases or dangerous particles are emitted by the tailpipe whereas driving. Solely H2O is emitted by the tailpipe. Emissions should exist at different phases of the product lifecycle (extraction, manufacturing, logistics, upkeep, recycling/scrapping…) but additionally throughout use (tyres, brakes…) and the manufacturing of hydrogen, relying on its supply.”

“Relying on its supply” is the essential half. In elements of Europe, inexperienced hydrogen is usually out there, because of the provision of zero-emissions electrical energy from hydroelectric services. Norway specifically has an abundance of hydropower. However until the hydrogen utilized in these vans comes from such sources, this press announcement is little greater than greenwashing.

Electrive provides extra context to the announcement. “Toyota continues to be not offering any technical information on the VDL hydrogen lorries,” it says. “Toyota’s well-known gas cell module for third-party clients is out there in two variations for vertical or horizontal set up, relying on the out there set up house. The modules are every out there with a rated output of 60 or 80 kW and are designed to cowl a voltage vary of 400 to 750 volts. Two of those modules are in all probability vital for the facility necessities of a lorry. Nevertheless, no information is understood in regards to the electrical drive, the buffer battery or the H2 tanks.”

The 4 gas cell powered vans are a part of a 5 yr analysis program that Toyota says is a part of its purpose of providing zero-emissions automobiles by 2040. The CleanTechnica crew provides this announcement a score of “meehhh.”

Airbus & MTU Hydrogen-Powered Plane Partnership

In a June 18, 2025, press launch, Airbus and MTU Aero Engines introduced the signing of a memorandum of understanding that can speed up progress towards hydrogen gas cell propulsion for plane. The partnership will mix the experience of Airbus and MTU Aero Engines. Airbus has decided to focus its analysis efforts on hydrogen-powered plane with a gas cell engine, an space during which MTU has developed experience with its Flying Gas Cell idea.

The partnership will pursue a three-step plan. Step one will contain creating the technological constructing blocks wanted for hydrogen gas cell powered plane engines. The second step will contain “aligning the businesses’ highway maps on hydrogen applied sciences. The results of these joint explorations then would permit the events to think about a 3rd step in direction of the event of a fuel-cell engine for a hydrogen powered plane,” the press launch mentioned. As soon as once more, CleanTechnica readers might discover themselves asking, “The place’s the meat?”

“Our concentrate on absolutely electrical gas cell propulsion expertise for future hydrogen-powered plane underscores our confidence and progress on this area,” mentioned Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Applications at Airbus. “Collaborating with MTU, a frontrunner in engine manufacturing and innovation, is an ideal complement to our personal developments. This partnership will permit us to pool our collective data, speed up the maturation of crucial applied sciences, and finally ship a revolutionary hydrogen-powered propulsion system for future business plane. Collectively, we’re not simply imagining a sustainable way forward for flight, we’re actively pioneering it.”

“As a globally acknowledged engine knowledgeable, we’re pushed by the imaginative and prescient of a revolutionary propulsion idea that permits nearly emissions-free flight,” mentioned Dr. Stefan Weber, SVP for engineering and expertise at MTU Aero Engines. “At present, we’re on the middle of a wide-ranging eco-system of companions aiming to realize the whole electrification of the powertrain by utilizing gas cell expertise. Partnering with Airbus opens up the likelihood to collectively deal with each expertise maturity and platform integration facets. Our joint efforts within the years to come back are step one in paving the best way for a possible product growth sooner or later.”

Airbus has an ambition is to deliver a hydrogen-powered business plane to market. In March 2025, the corporate introduced it was specializing in a fully-electric gas cell propulsion system. “Past the plane applied sciences, Airbus will proceed to foster the emergence of a hydrogen aviation financial system and the related regulatory framework, that are additionally crucial enablers to the arrival of hydrogen-powered flight at scale,” the press launch mentioned. MTU added it expects to start short-hop business flights in 2035.

Getting Excessive On Hydrogen

Each of those bulletins are all very good, pie within the sky (no pun meant), clear transportation information. And in a setting the place any progress towards addressing carbon emissions is now discouraged, at the least within the US, as a result of it doesn’t conform to the fossil gas faith, any progress is welcome. Nonetheless, too little too late is a phrase that involves thoughts after studying each of those bulletins.