Hino has created Australia’s first mobile hydrogen fuel station as a support vehicle for the three Toyota Mirais in the country with a purpose-built trailer fabricated by MaxiTRANS.
Hauled by a Hino 700 Series, the mobile hydrogen fuel station is a temporary measure to compensate for a lack of infrastructure to back up the emerging fuel cell technology.
“It is the first high-pressure hydrogen re-fueller in Australia that can completely fill a fuel-cell vehicle. This is a practical and necessary measure to enable people around Australia to learn about and experience Mirai and its technology first-hand,” said project sponsor Bernie O’Connor.
Hino’s product and marketing department coordinated the production of the hydrogen refuelling station.
According to product strategy manager Daniel Petrovski said supporting the Toyota Mirai is in line with Hino’s forward vision.
“Closely following the 10th anniversary of our Hino Hybrid truck, Hino Australia’s involvement in other clean-energy initiatives backs our commitment to work towards a more sustainable transport industry,” Petrovski said.
“In Japan, Hino is prototyping fuel-cell bus technology closely related to the hydrogen fuel-cell systems in the Toyota Mirai sedan. We’re proud to be able to partner with Toyota to support the fuel-cell vision in Australia.”
The Hino 700 Series features a purpose-built trailer with a generator and a hydrogen compressor able to cool and pressurise hydrogen to 700bar.
The truck has been specifically fitted for dangerous goods with a vertical exhaust, flame-proofed wiring and other safety measures. The transporter can be configured to carry up to 10 tonnes of hydrogen and nitrogen bottles.
The Toyota Mirai is the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell sedan. It is currently available in Japan, the United States and Europe in areas supported by refuelling infrastructure.
