Three Big Auto OEMs Target New Markets for Fuel Cells

Toyota, Hyundai and GM have recalibrated their hydrogen strategies by (1) targeting a broader set of transport and non-transport sectors; (2) finding customers for fuel cells beyond their proprietary vehicles; (3) investing in hydrogen infrastructure to facilitate fuel cell adoption; and (4) using partnerships and JVs to share upfront investment risk.  Heavy duty transportation has clearly emerged as a compelling use case given hydrogen’s massive advantage in gravimetric energy density over batteries as well as infrastructure considerations in certain circumstances.  That said, initiatives around passenger cars, forklifts, heavy duty machinery and stationary applications are also underway. A summary of recent hydrogen related activity for each company is presented below:

TOYOTA

- In May 2023, Toyota consolidated all fuel cell and hydrogen related activity (R&D, product design, sales etc.) into a single division called the “Hydrogen Factory”.
- In December 2023, Toyota established a European branch of the Hydrogen Factory and established a US hydrogen headquarters in California in May 2024.
- In Europe, Toyota is already supplying fuel cells for Caetano city buses and will develop hydrogen trucks with Hyliko in France and VDL Groep in the Netherlands (including using VDL trucks in its own logistics operations) as well as marine applications with Corvus in Norway.
- In the US, Toyota began manufacturing fuel cell powertrain kits to supply third party truck OEMs including PACCAR’s Kenworth brand which already has 10 trucks in operation and is moving to serial production. A recent contract award from Toyota to Hexagon Purus for hydrogen tanks to be used in the powertrain kits may be an indication of momentum in this initiative.
- Also in the US, at the Port of Long Beach in California, Toyota and FuelCell Energy recently launched operations of a plant that produces hydrogen from directed biogas for refueling drayage trucks integral to Toyota’s logistics operations among other uses.
- Stationary initiatives include the construction of hydrogen powered microgrid for its own office campus in California and a successful deployment for stationary power at a recent LPGA event.
- In Asia, Toyota is active across the fuel cell spectrum including marketing its own fuel cell forklifts, a partnership with Daimler Trucks in Japan and a JV with Beijing SinoHytec for trucks in China.

HYUNDAI

- In January of this year, Hyundai announced the expansion of its HTWO fuel cell brand focused on autos to encompass the full hydrogen ecosystem including production, storage, transportation and utilization.
- As part of that announcement, Hyundai announced that it would develop a PEM electrolyzer product and would also participate in localized production projects in Indonesia and the US.
- In May, Hyundai completed the acquisition of fuel cell related assets from its affiliated parts supplier Hyundai Mobis. The stated rationale for the transaction was to consolidate R&D, product design and marketing under a unified management structure.
- In conjunction with the reorganization, Hyundai formed a new “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Process Quality Office” focused on maintaining Hyundai’s “leadership in the hydrogen ecosystem” and better defined the Company’s new market focus as expanding beyond vehicles to include hydrogen production, power generation, trams, port, ships and advanced air mobility.
- Hyundai has been testing its Xcient Class 8 Trucks in Switzerland since 2020 and currently has 48 units on the road there that very recently surpassed 10 million kilometers in aggregate distance traveled.
- 30 Xcients were deployed in California in May and Xcients have also been operating in Germany, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

GENERAL MOTORS (GM)

-In January of this year, a 50/50 JV between GM and Honda launched an $85 million fuel cell manufacturing facility in Michigan.
- Honda will use fuel cells from the factory for its CR-V passenger car that will be available for lease in CA later this year and recently unveiled a concept Class 8 fuel cell truck with a fully loaded range of 400 miles.
- With funding from DOE, GM is separately introducing a medium duty truck that will use the Silverado pick-up frame and has an agreement with a Georgia utility to incorporate the trucks into its service fleet for testing.
- GM is further developing fuel cell applications for the trucking, aerospace and rail markets in partnership with Navistar, Liebherr and Wabtec, respectively.
- GM has licensed its PEM technology to Nel ASA for incorporation into Nel’s PEM electrolyzer product that is manufactured in the US.  As part of the partnership, Nel will provide hydrogen and fueling equipment to the Georgia utility that is testing GM’s fuelcell trucks.