Toyota Motor North America recently demonstrated high-flow hydrogen fueling capable of refueling a heavy-duty fuel cell truck in approximately eight minutes, providing up to 450 miles of range. The milestone comes as the company expands fueling infrastructure in Southern California and prepares for commercial operations with production Toyota-powered trucks in 2027.
The refueling demonstration was conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in Golden, Colorado. Engineers and researchers from both organizations completed multiple rounds of testing under SAE J2601-5 standards, using a high-flow hydrogen fueling system designed for heavy-duty vehicles.
The technology operates at 70 megapascals (MPa) and can deliver hydrogen at rates of up to 300 grams per second, approximately five times faster than conventional light-duty hydrogen fueling technology. Toyota estimates that the rate of energy transfer is equivalent to a 20-megawatt fast charger.
The company reported that the resulting refueling times are comparable to those of modern diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks, addressing one of the operational requirements for fleets considering hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Alongside the fueling demonstration, Toyota is preparing infrastructure to support hydrogen-powered freight operations in Southern California.
The company recently installed two mobile hydrogen fueling devices at its North American Parts Center California (NAPCC), its largest parts distribution facility in the United States. Toyota plans to use the equipment to support heavy-duty fuel cell trucks hauling freight between the Port of Los Angeles and Ontario, California, as well as other routes throughout the region.
The mobile fueling units are intended to support initial operations while Toyota develops a permanent hydrogen fueling station at the distribution center.
The planned station will initially serve heavy-duty trucks commissioned through Hyroad Energy. Toyota intends to subsequently integrate trucks equipped with its own certified fuel cell powertrain.
Once operational, the permanent station is expected to be publicly accessible, providing both conventional and high-flow hydrogen fueling for heavy-duty trucks. A separate fueling area will accommodate light-duty fuel cell vehicles.
Toyota is also preparing improvements at its Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ) in Gardena, California, where it plans to upgrade its private fueling infrastructure to the same high-flow standard over the coming months.
Those improvements will support additional heavy-duty vehicle testing. Toyota also plans to install equipment for light-duty fuel cell passenger vehicles to evaluate station hardware, improve reliability and gather operational information.
The work is part of Toyota’s continuing development of hydrogen fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles and other applications.
For heavy-duty fleets, the announcements address two important aspects of hydrogen truck deployment: the ability to refuel vehicles within timeframes comparable to diesel trucks and the availability of fueling infrastructure along freight routes.
Toyota expects production trucks equipped with its fuel cell powertrain to begin commercial operations in 2027. The company has not specified an opening date for the permanent NAPCC station or the number of production trucks expected to enter service next year.
