Fuel cell bus conceptualization. Image courtesy of Toyota.
Toyota recently announced that it will provide its hydrogen fuel cell technology to Caetanobus SA in Portugal.
As stated in its 2050 environmental challenge, Toyota is promoting the application of its hydrogen fuel cell technology beyond passenger cars, including heavy duty trucks, small delivery trucks, forklifts and buses.
In Europe, Toyota will supply its fuel cell systems, including fuel cell stacks, hydrogen tanks and other key components to Caetanobus SA ? the Portuguese bus engineering and production company ? to build hydrogen fuel cell city buses.
The first zero emission fuel cell city buses will roll off the lines of Caetanobus SA, in a little over a year, and are to be operated as demonstration buses by Caetanobus SA.
"Supplying our fuel cell systems to Caetanobus demonstrates the many practical uses and environmental benefits of hydrogen towards a carbon-free society,” said Dr. Johan van Zyl, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Europe. "Hydrogen buses have significant advantages compared to other zero emission buses, such as superior driving range and short refueling time. These benefits allow hydrogen buses to be operated on longer routes and a higher utilization."
Meanwhile, Hyundai has entered an agreement to supply 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell lorries to the Swiss commercial vehicle market over a five-year period, starting in 2019. According to The Telegraph, the Korean manufacturing giant signed a memorandum of understanding with Zurich-based H2 Energy at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, outlining plans to introduce the vehicles to a variety of fleet operators in Switzerland.
In March, a news report stated that the European fuel cell market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of more than 70% during the period 2015 to 2027.
Increasing government initiatives and motivation under a new renewable heat incentive policy are the key drivers in Europe, which the report calls one of the fastest growing regions in the fuel cell technology market. This analysis extends fuel cell market research the firm has conducted over the past several years.
And a report by Research and Markets, released in February, stated that the overall global fuel cells market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 28.21%, going from $3.114 billion last year to $13.83 billion in 2023.
