Toyota has unveiled the second iteration of its Project Portal hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 8 truck.
The automaker maintains the new Beta truck “significantly exceeds” the capabilities of the Alpha demonstrator vehicle revealed in 2017, increasing the estimated range to more than 300 miles per fill.
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For both the Beta and its predecessor Alpha vehicle, Ricardo assisted Toyota with a wide range of engineering functions. These included systems integration and packaging, including fuel cells, power electronics, hydrogen tanks, cooling systems, batteries, electric motors and transmission.
Many of the ancillary systems traditionally driven by the engine were also electrified, including the air compressor, power steering and HVAC system, the controls of which required integration into the vehicle’s J1939 CAN BUS. The Alpha and Beta vehicles were made by Ricardo at the workshops of its Detroit Technology Campus in Belleville, Michigan.
With a gross combined weight capacity of 80,000 lbs, the 670-plus horsepower Alpha truck produces 1,325 pound-feet of torque from two Mirai fuel cell stacks and 12kWh of battery. The Project Portal Beta vehicle maintains these torque and horsepower numbers while also extending the range of the vehicle by 50% to in excess of 300 miles between hydrogen refills.
“The Ricardo team is pleased to have been able to continue our successful collaboration with Toyota on the very important Project Portal heavy duty zero emission fuel cell electric truck demonstration project,” said Ricardo VP Vehicle Engineering, Chris Brockbank.
“The Beta Project Portal vehicle is an advance over its Alpha predecessor, offering practical design improvements in addition to its practical 300+ mile range which makes it a capable ZEV option for drayage [transport of goods across short distances] operations.
“We look forward to working with Toyota in the completion of the real world drayage testing and to seeing the results of the project which, I believe, may well inform the future vision of heavy duty transportation.”
