LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Picture the
710 Freeway heading south - bumper to bumper semis hauling cargo to
and from the bustling Ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach. Now
imagine those trucks are moving that cargo, quietly, quickly and
without producing any emissions. Toyota is working to make
this vision a reality.
Today Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA) revealed "Project
Portal" - a hydrogen fuel cell system designed for heavy duty truck
use at the Port of Los Angeles.
Announced at a press conference with Port officials and
representatives from California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the
California Energy Commission (CEC), the zero-emission truck proof
of concept will take part in a feasibility study examining the
potential of fuel cell technology in heavy duty applications. The
study will begin this summer and contribute to the Port's Clean Air
Action Plan, which has dramatically reduced harmful emissions from
operations at the Ports of Long
Beach and Los Angeles since
2005.
"As they did with the Prius and the Mirai, Toyota is taking a
leap into the future of technology. By bringing this heavy duty,
zero emission hydrogen fuel cell proof of concept truck to the
Port, Toyota has planted a flag that we hope many others will
follow," said Mary D. Nichols,
Chair, California Air Resources Board (CARB). "CARB will be
following the progress of this feasibility study with interest, as
we look to develop the best mix of regulations and incentives to
rapidly expand the market for the cleanest, most efficient big
trucks to meet the need for dramatic change in the freight
sector."
Project Portal is the next step in Toyota's effort to broaden
the application of zero-emission fuel cell technology that can
serve a range of industries. It is a fully functioning heavy duty
truck with the power and torque capacity to conduct port drayage
operations while emitting nothing but water vapor. Heavy duty
vehicles make up a significant percentage of the annual emissions
output at the Port of Los Angeles,
and the Portal feasibility study may provide another path to
further reduce emissions.
"Toyota believes that hydrogen fuel cell technology has
tremendous potential to become the powertrain of the future," said
TMNA Executive Vice President Bob
Carter. "From creating one of the world's first mass market
fuel cell vehicles, to introducing fuel cell buses in Japan, Toyota is a leader in expanding the use
of versatile and scalable zero-emission technology. With Project
Portal, we're proud to help explore the societal benefits of a true
zero emission heavy-duty truck platform."
The Project Portal platform is designed to provide the target
performance required to support port drayage operations. The truck
generates more than 670 horsepower and 1325 pound feet of torque
from two Mirai fuel cell stacks and a 12kWh battery, a relatively
small battery to support class 8 load operations. The concept's
gross combined weight capacity is 80,000 lbs, and its estimated
driving range is more than 200 miles per fill, under normal drayage
operation.
"The Port of Los Angeles is
excited collaborate with Toyota to explore the feasibility of fuel
cell technology for port drayage operations," said Tony Gioiello, Deputy Executive Director of Port
Development, Port of Los Angeles.
"Our port and industry stakeholders have demonstrated their
leadership in reducing pollution from port-related operations, and
we see the potential of Toyota's zero-emission heavy-duty truck
technology as another solution to meet the long-term goals of the
San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan."
Project Portal is just one part of Toyota's ongoing commitment
to fuel cell technology and the potential of a hydrogen society. It
follows on the company's continued work to expand California's hydrogen refueling
infrastructure, including the recently announced partnership with
Shell to increase the number of hydrogen refueling stations in the
state.
"Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles play a role in California's efforts to
achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, improve air
quality, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels," said
Janea A. Scott, Commissioner,
California Energy Commission. "That's why the California
Energy Commission is investing in the refueling infrastructure
needed to support adoption of these vehicles. The Commission
applauds Toyota for putting this cutting edge technology to use
in a heavy-duty freight proof of concept. This demo will show
how fuel cells can help support the heavy-duty sector's efforts to
increase efficiency, transition to zero-emission technologies, and
increase competitiveness."
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and
creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed
to advancing mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands.
Over the past 50 years, we've produced more than 30 million cars
and trucks in North America, where
we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly
employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the
U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in the
U.S.) sold more than 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.5
million in the U.S.) in 2015 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota
vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road
today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places.
For more information about Toyota, visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Media
Contacts
|
|
Jana
Hartline
|
Jana.hartline@toyota.com; (310) 779-0415
|
|
Brian
Lyons
|
Brian.lyons@toyota.com; (310) 418-8819
|
|
|
Media
website:
|
http://www.toyotanewsroom.com
|
Public
websites:
|
http://www.toyota.com
|
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America