Hydrogen-Free Transport Solution Unveiled: Hydrogen Road Assistance Vehicle Debuted at Round 5 Motegi
Japan took a significant step forward in its quest to establish a hydrogen society and support a sustainable energy transition, with the unveiling of a hydrogen road service vehicle at the Motegi Super Taikyu 5 Hours Race on September 2 and 3.
The vehicle, a joint development between Toyota and the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), is designed to assist hydrogen-powered cars if they run out of fuel on the road. Equipped with the necessary functions for roadside assistance, the vehicle can directly refuel other vehicles with hydrogen modules.
Vice President Hiroki Nakajima of JAF presented the vehicle, stating that the initiative started from the idea that mobility should lead the way in creating a hydrogen society. He also emphasised the importance of JAF's support in building confidence in the use of hydrogen vehicles, as without road service support, people may not feel confident using them.
The hydrogen road service vehicle could potentially deliver hydrogen for home generators and stationary power generation units in the future. This is a crucial step towards addressing practical issues for hydrogen vehicles, including the problem of vehicles being stranded if they run out of hydrogen far from refueling stations.
Japan aims to build a hydrogen society to enable rapid and widespread use of hydrogen as a clean energy source. The motivation behind this effort is to establish a stable, widespread hydrogen consumption market that supports a sustainable energy transition and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to the hydrogen road service vehicle, Japan aims to develop mobile hydrogen supply solutions and support decarbonization efforts related to its energy mix transition. The country also seeks to cooperate internationally and encourage companies to contribute to hydrogen society creation.
This JAF-Toyota collaboration is one of the first actions taken towards advancing a hydrogen society. The JAF vehicle serves as a prototype, indicating that it may undergo further development and improvements. The unveiling of the hydrogen road service vehicle at the Motegi Super Taikyu 5 Hours Race is a concrete example of addressing the logistical and operational challenges required to support Japan's vision of a hydrogen society.
[1] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. (2020). Hydrogen Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.meti.go.jp/english/policy/energy/hydrogen_strategy/index.html
[2] Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Demonstration Initiative. (n.d.). Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicle Demonstration Project. Retrieved from https://www.jhfcdi.jp/english/index.html
[3] Suntory. (2020). Suntory Group's Green Hydrogen Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.suntory.com/en/csr/initiatives/greenhydrogen/
- The hydrogen road service vehicle, a collaborative effort between Toyota and the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), is a crucial step towards Japan's vision of establishing a hydrogen society in the finance, transportation, and automotive industries.
- As JAF vice president Hiroki Nakajima stated, the vehicle's role in providing roadside assistance for hydrogen-powered cars could potentially extend to delivering hydrogen for home generators and stationary power generation units, thus supporting Japan's technology-driven green energy transition.
