How Hydrogen Could Make The New Toyota Land Cruiser Mean and Green – TopSpeed
August 16, 2023
How hydrogen could make the new toyota land cruiser mean and green – Topspeed.
In the heart of Tokyo, a monumental challenge unfolds before Toyota Motor Corp. as it grapples with a potential plan for one of its beloved models: the Land Cruiser. This iconic nameplate, renowned for its sheer strength and mass appeal, faces a pivotal crossroads in the era of carbon reduction. The biggest question is maintaining the Land Cruiser’s rugged power while embracing a green future that aligns with the industry’s carbon-reduction goals.
The year 2024 marks a significant milestone for the Land Cruiser lineage. The latest iteration, revealed recently, strides forward as the pioneer in a new era with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. This 48-horsepower electric motor and battery integration is essential to achieving a greener Land Cruiser. However, according to Keita Moritsu, the vehicle’s chief engineer, even this innovative hybridization may fall short of carrying the Land Cruiser’s legacy into the next decade.
In its relentless pursuit of sustainable advancement, Toyota envisions a spectrum of possibilities. Beyond hybrids, the company also focuses on plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles, and the idea of hydrogen fuel cells. These choices underscore the pivotal role hydrogen-powered technology could play in shaping the next evolution of the Land Cruiser and the car industry as a whole.
With the most recent announcement of Toyota’s 2024 Land Cruiser being the first version equipped with a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain, it’s no surprise the Japanese automaker is also looking to offer other options to its customers. In addition to this hybrid model, Toyota is rumored to be testing and implementing hydrogen fuel cell technology into the ever-loved Land Cruiser, which could debut by the decade’s end.
Of course, we’re yet to see Toyota create an EV model of this, let alone a hydrogen power source: so this is a long way out.
However, Keita Moritsu, the vehicle’s chief engineer, says even the new integrated 48-horsepower electric motor and battery won’t be enough to see it through to 2030 to meet emission standards set by the company. That said, Toyota has been wary of shifting to 100 percent electric like other car brands because of its sales in the gas-powered vehicle market.
Currently, the brand doesn’t have a plan to go fully renewable: but this is subject to change. The new CEO, Koji Sato, has mentioned SUVs and sedans shifting toward hybrid and electric come 2025, but he isn’t hell-bent on the movement.
