Toyota, Kenworth, the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) today took the next great leap towards the future of zero-emission trucking, unveiling the first of Toyota and Kenworth’s jointly developed fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks before a crowd of media, government officials and industry and community leaders during a special event held at the Port of Los Angeles.

New FC heavy duty truck revealed in April 2019

The new generation zero-emission truck expands on the capabilities of Toyota’s first two Project Portal Proof-of-Concept trucks through enhanced capability, packaging, and performance while offering an estimated range of more than 300 miles per fill, twice that of a typical drayage trucks average daily duty cycle. Toyota and Kenworth will deploy a total of 10 trucks as part of the Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF), hauling cargo received at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, throughout the LA Basin.

“Toyota is committed to fuel cell electric technology as a powertrain for the future because it’s a clean, scalable platform that can meet a broad range of mobility needs with zero emissions,” said Bob Carter, Executive Vice President for Automotive Operations Toyota. “The ZANZEFF collaboration and the innovative ‘Shore-to Store’ project allow us to move Heavy-Duty Truck Fuel Cell Electric technology towards commercialization.”

CARB has awarded $41 million dollars to the Port of Los Angeles for the ZANZEFF project as part of California Climate Investments, a California initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment―particularly in disadvantaged communities.

“This substantial climate investment by the state, matched by the project partners, will help speed up the number of zero-emission trucks in the California communities and neighborhoods where they are needed the most,” said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. “It will provide a real world at-work demonstration of innovative heavy-duty fuel-cell electric technologies. The project offers a commercial solution to move cargo and freight around the state using zero-emission trucks and equipment that protect air quality and cut climate-changing emissions.”

Since operations began in April 2017, the Project Portal “Alpha” and “Beta” Proof of Concept Class 8 trucks have logged more than 14,000 miles of testing and real-world drayage operations in and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach while emitting nothing but water vapor. The first Kenworth/Toyota Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) under the ZANZEFF project will begin drayage operations in the fourth quarter, increasing the ports’ zero emission trucking capacity and further reducing the environmental impact of drayage operations.

Please click here to view the full press release.

SOURCE: Toyota