The inexorable rollout of alternative drive trucks by leading global OEMs is gathering pace, with South Africa soon to gain access to many of these green technologies. Hino Motors, the commercial vehicle arm of the Toyota Group, has unveiled Japan’s first mass-produced fuel cell heavy-duty truck – a milestone in the transition away from fossil fuels.
Hino Profia Z FCV makes its debut
Hino has confirmed that the Profia Z FCV will officially launch on 24 October, marking the culmination of more than five years of joint development with Toyota. The truck is powered by a modified version of Toyota’s second-generation fuel cell stack, first introduced in the Mirai passenger car in 2020 and manufactured at the Honsha plant.
The Profia Z FCV carries six hydrogen tanks with a combined capacity of 50 kg stored at 70 MPa pressure, providing a driving range of up to 650 km on a full fill. Measuring 12 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 3.8 metres tall, it will be available in dry van and wing body variants. The dry van version offers a payload of approximately 11.6 tons.
Testing, rollout and market focus
The new model is built on the ICE Profia (known as the 700 Series in some markets) and was first prototyped in 2023. Extensive testing saw the truck clock more than 400 000 km before being cleared for production.
Hino will lease the Profia Z FCV to customers and cover maintenance costs. The initial rollout is focused on five Japanese regions prioritised by government for fuel cell vehicle introduction – Fukushima, Tokyo and Kanagawa, Aichi, Hyogo and Fukuoka.
Cutting CO2 with hydrogen power
Heavy-duty trucks contribute around 60% of CO2 emissions from commercial vehicles in Japan. By launching the Profia Z FCV, Hino aims to take a major step in reducing this burden.
The company has also confirmed that just days after launch, a Level 4 automated driving-capable concept version of the truck will be unveiled at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, which opens on 29 October.
Editor’s comment: The unveiling of Hino’s Profia Z FCV is another signal that global OEMs are moving full throttle into alternative drives. South Africa cannot ignore these developments. Hydrogen may still face infrastructure hurdles locally, but trucks like this show what is coming our way.
For South Africa, the message is clear – prepare now for a world where clean energy is not a marketing slogan but the operating standard. The challenge for SA is to ensure the regulations, refuelling and support ecosystem keeps pace, otherwise these trucks will remain on showroom floors instead of our highways.
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