Celine Nolan

A battery electrical Toyota Hilux, utilizing as of late’s technology, simply wouldn’t net the diversity, towing capability or off-avenue skills to rival our recent diesel twin-cabs.

Alternatively, hydrogen fuel cell technology will seemingly be the reply, so the importance of this British-constructed, hydrogen-fuelled Hilux prototype pick-up can’t be understated.

Pictures of the dear instance net now been shown, and ten are supposed to be constructed earlier than the cease of the year.

And, somehow, a stout manufacturing hydrogen Hilux is the thought.

Toyota says these ten prototypes will “undergo rigorous testing all over the realm to verify that safety, dynamic efficiency, efficiency and sturdiness meet the high requirements required of a producing mannequin.”

It has an expected driving range of more than 590 kilometres, which is “vastly additional than will seemingly be accomplished with a battery electrical plan,” the Jap huge stated.

Toyota has long preached the advantages of a “multi-technology plan” for reaching its world aim of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Its powertrain solutions consist of hybrid electrical, crawl-in hybrid electrical, battery electrical and fuel cell electrical, with each focused on different user needs and operating environments worldwide.

What will all of us know about the hydrogen Hilux?

The UK-constructed Hilux Additional Cab has ditched the diesel and brought the core parts from Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electrical sedan.

The rear-wheel-drive automobile makes spend of three high-stress fuel tanks, mounted low within the chassis, below the Hilux’s ground. An on-board battery, which stores the electricity produced on-board by the fuel cell, is mounted within the rear load deck.

Toyota hasn’t stated as well-known, nonetheless while this doesn’t compromise cabin house, it’s going to also indicate sacrificing bath room. Its photos (conveniently) reveals the Hilux with a roller canopy over the bath, concealing what’s inner.

Whereas efficiency figures haven’t been published, the 2d generation Mirai offers 134kW/300Nm, powered by three hydrogen tanks which hang round three to five minutes to top off utilizing a industrial refueller. Tailpipe emissions are supreme pure water.

The official range for the Mirai is quoted at 650km nonetheless Toyota workers net travelled as much as 1360km on a single ‘tank’ in a outdated story strive.

The hydrogen Hilux has been produced by a consortium led by Toyota Manufacturing UK at its automobile plant in Derby, England. It bought UK Executive funding by capability of the Evolved Propulsion Centre (APC).

Toyota Australia needs a capable zero-emission Hilux

A Toyota Australia showcase tournament earlier this month confirmed the designate’s Hilux Revo BEV Conception.

This Thailand-constructed opinion is a stout electrical two-wheel-drive single-cab ute that’s “rapid range and metropolis-focused,” stated Toyota Australia’s vice president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley.

Whereas this automobile has been evaluated by Toyota’s local engineers, it’s a ute aimed squarely on the South East Asian market, even though an Australia initiate wasn’t ruled out.

Our market in actuality demands an electrical Hilux that will closely match the abilities of the diesel version.

“What I’m in actuality placing out for is precisely the identical side each person’s asking the quiz about,” Hanley stated. “A load-carrying, trailer-towing, far-off house, off-avenue Hilux 4×4 with zero tailpipe emissions. What a automobile that will be.”

Stoking the fire of expectation, Hanely stated such a automobile was as soon as seemingly, and the UK’s hydrogen Hilux was as soon as a more realistic zero emissions resolution than battery electrical.

“Hydrogen offers gigantic range, it’s fully carbon neutral and it’s going to tow,” he stated. “And it’s going to take care of good and heavy stuff.”

Toyota has long championed hydrogen as an different fuel, evidenced by the Mirai now in its 2d generation. Retaining the technology aid, for now, is the mandatory infrastructure.

“The hydrogen horizon I mediate is round 2030 [or] 2035,” Hanley stated. “Easiest thanks to infrastructure, no longer necessarily thanks to technology.”

With Australia being a valuable Hilux market – and the mannequin our easiest-promoting automobile nationally – it can maybe seem seemingly one in every of the UK’s hydrogen Hilux prototypes will reach to Australia for the aforementioned worldwide testing.

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed this can affect an electrical mini G-Class four wheel power, a relaxing-sized version of its iconic boxy G Wagon.

At the mutter of the Belief CLA Class at the 2023 IAA Mobility match in Munich, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius launched the “Limited G” will likely be based on the electrical CLA’s 800-volt Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) platform.

The presentation showed a silhouette of what it known as the “g-Class” – yes, a lower-case ‘G’ – with primarily the most modern production G-Class’ distinctive sq. lines and extinct boot-mounted spare wheel in evidence.

Kallenius mentioned the compact EV will likely be “relaxing to power” each on and off twin carriageway, and promised it can presumably be “an all-electric mannequin variant of its utilitarian off-twin carriageway icon.”

What attain we know referring to the g-Class EV?

Sadly, this used to be factual a teaser for what’s going to come, however it’s encouraging the mannequin has been confirmed for production after it used to be previously reported Kallenius “fully” wanted the mannequin to occur.

Mercedes is expected to add an EQG G-Class to its stout-electric inventory in mid-2024, however this dinky g-Class version would likely now not come till 2026.

The aforementioned Belief CLA Class will likely morph into a production automotive in 2024, and Mercedes has promised the MMA platform will take a seat below four new vehicles – two SUVs, a capturing brake (wagon) and sedan – as entry-level vehicles.

The German imprint has claimed its Tesla Model 3-rivalling Belief CLA Class could presumably offer a vary of up to 750km. The four wheel power machine and aerodynamic boundaries of a g-Class (it being enjoy a brick) would make particular it’d be a mighty distance from matching the slippery sedan’s electric-simplest vary.

However even life like vary (500km+) in a baby four wheel power will completely pique the eagerness of some distance-off-travelling Australians, in particular with Benz’s promised ultra-rapidly charging.

Kallenius mentioned the electrical-simplest Toddler G will likely be “extraordinarily capable off-twin carriageway,” representing a much less dear different to its G-Class big brother.

In Australia, the most reasonable G-Class SUV at mutter within the market is the AMG G63, costing discontinuance to $400,000 on the twin carriageway.

The first-ever Skoda electrical station wagon is confirmed for a 2026 release date – nonetheless the EV property doubtlessly received’t be known as the Octavia, the mark’s world CEO advised Chasing Autos.

That’s on story of Skoda will proceed producing petrol-powered and hybrid combustion vehicles as long as there is question, in conjunction with the Octavia wagon – which accounts for one-third of Skoda’s world gross sales.

Skoda first launched the Octavia nameplate in 1959 on a minute family automobile – Octavia on story of it became as soon as the eighth model produced by the then-Czechoslovakian automaker. Octavia is a female title of Latin foundation which approach eighth.

It became as soon as reintroduced in 1996 and has been a fixed within the Skoda line-up since.

In a distinguished shake-up of Skoda’s skills in station wagons, the mark will launch a 4.7-metre long property that is fully-electrical in 2026 – alongside the combustion Octavia model.

On the opposite hand, Skoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer advised Chasing Autos in Germany that a brand novel title became as soon as on the cards as Skoda prepares the BEV automobile.

But Skoda has closely judicious as calling the BEV wagon the Octavia, even though it is some distance a essentially assorted automobile to the continuing petrol model.

“Here’s a tall debate and we enjoy made a choice nonetheless let’s look,” said Zellmer.

“Giving up those names – Octavia, Unheard of, Kodiaq, shall we embrace – they’re nicely established, they’re rate plenty, and exchange them with something starting with an E and ending with a Q is something that is [difficult].

“Composed there could be a choice, this the common sense, nonetheless we enjoy unbiased a little of bit of a ache inside of us giving up on established names as nicely. So let’s look. I don’t own we’ll exhaust Octavia nonetheless let’s look”.

The auto is anticipated to watch Skoda’s novel electrical automobile naming convention that has produced the Enyaq upper-midsize electrical SUV – and the approaching Elroq minute electrical SUV.

The Octavia replacement, currently codenamed the ‘Combi’ (Skoda-keep in touch for wagon), is due spherical 2026. All-electrical, it could perhaps maybe well buck the SUV construction with its low-slung wagon figure measuring approximately 4.7 metres long.

Skoda designers enjoy said the auto would enjoy the originate air dimensions of a compact wagon with the interior dwelling of a higher segment automobile.

Extra reporting by Tom Baker