Toyota teams up with Hyundai and Ampol for more hydrogen stations after dissing EVs

Major auto brands Toyota and Hyundai have partnered with Ampol and Pacific Energy to expand the number of hydrogen refuelling stations in Australia.

The move by Toyota comes just days after the company repeated its disdain for electric vehicles, saying they were not suitable for Australian roads, sparking outrage from Tesla and the EV industry.

Toyota and Hyundai are the only companies to have released hydrogen fuel-cell cars in Australia – the Mirai sedan and NEXO SUV – which have had limited adoption due to the lack of refuelling options.

Australia has fewer than 10 hydrogen stations.

Ampol chief executive Matt Halliday said the four companies had signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop hydrogen projects to support vehicles in the nation’s capital.

“Hydrogen can play an important role in delivering decarbonisation benefits for transport and developing the right infrastructure to support a successful rollout is key,” he said.

“The (deal) establishes a collaborative working relationship between the parties who are all required to develop the necessary hydrogen ecosystem to make hydrogen use as a transport feasible.”

Hyundai deployed 23 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles in Canberra as part of a deal with the ACT government in 2021, making it the first hydrogen car fleet in Australia.

Toyota has been trialling its Mirai line of hydrogen fuel-cell cars in Australia since 2018 and offers the vehicles on extended lease in Victoria, where the company operates its own refuelling station.

Former chief scientist, hydrogen advocate and Mirai driver Alan Finkel has admitted that hydrogen fuel cell cars are unlikely to be able to compete with battery electric vehicles, but Toyota Australia president Matthew Callachor said the automaker was committed to developing hydrogen as an alternative energy source.

“This month we announced plans to locally assemble and distribute the EODev GEH2 fuel-cell generator in Australia and this joint collaboration announced today provides further opportunities to explore and grow this vital technology,” he said.

The latest partnership follows several recent announcements for hydrogen technology, including BP’s launch of the first hydrogen facility at a service station in August and Ampol’s deal with US firm OneH2 to develop more refuelling stations.

There were no details of the amount to be invested, or the number or location of stations to be built.

AAP