Hino unveils Japan’s first mass-produced fuel cell heavy-duty truck

The Profia Z FCV is the result of joint efforts between Hino Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Toyota). The latter’s primary contribution to the development of this model is its fuel cell stack. The company modified its second-gen fuel cell stack, which it first introduced in the second-gen Mirai in 2020 and manufactures at the Honsha plant, for this application. Neither Hino Motors nor Toyota has disclosed the maximum power of the adapted version, but in the original form for the sedan, Toyota kept the output at 128 kW.

The new zero-emission heavy-duty truck features six hydrogen tanks that can together store 50 kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 70 MPa. Hino Motors’ internal testing shows it can travel up to 650 kilometres with its tanks full. This model measures 12 metres in length, 2.5 metres in width, and 3.8 metres in height, and the company plans to launch it in dry van and wing body versions. The former offers a payload capacity of approximately 11.6 tonnes.

Hino Motors will offer the Profia Z FCV only on lease and cover the maintenance costs. Initially, the company will focus on the five regions where the Japanese government prioritises the introduction of fuel cell commercial vehicles: Tohoku (Fukushima Prefecture), Kanto (Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefectures), Chubu (Aichi Prefecture), Kinki (Hyogo Prefecture), and Kyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture).

Hino Motors and Toyota began working on Profia Z FCV on the basis of the ICE Profia (also called 700 Series in some markets) in March 2020. The duo built a prototype in 2023 and tested it for over 400,000 km along with their partners. Finally, more than five years later, they have completed development and brought the model into series production.

Heavy-duty trucks are responsible for approximately 60% of CO2 emissions from commercial vehicles in Japan. Hino Motors aims to cut these emissions significantly, with the Profia Z FCV as one step toward that goal. Just days after its launch, the company will unveil its Level 4 automated driving-capable concept version at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, scheduled to open on 29 October.

hino.co.jp (in Japanese), hino-global.com (deal with Toyota), hino-global.com (Japan Mobility Show 2023), hino.co.jp (in Japanese, Japan Mobility Show 2025)