And how Toyota is taking us there

ASIDE FROM some blue graphics and an “H2” logo on the side, it looks like any ordinary Corolla Cross, Toyota’s popular compact crossover.

But step inside, and you’ll be surprised to see the steering wheel on the right side. That’s because this particular Corolla Cross has been shipped from Japan as a showcase of the automotive giant’s hydrogen technology, of which it is among the leaders in the industry.

We are at the back parking lot of the huge Toyota Manila Bay dealership to witness the hydrogen refueling of the Corolla Cross. Viewed from afar, it looks like your ordinary gasoline or diesel refueling. But up close, you’ll see the pump nozzle and the refueling opening of the car to be much smaller than the usual gas/diesel nozzle/opening.

That’s because refueling with hydrogen is more complicated than refueling with gas or diesel. Hydrogen is stored at near-freezing temperatures (both at the pump and in the hydrogen tank of the car) and it can switch between gas and liquid states. It’s also stored and pumped under pressure and is measured in kilos, not liters. Another difference is that there is no gasoline smell as hydrogen is odorless and colorless. One similarity though is that it takes about the same time to refuel a hydrogen car as a regular gas or diesel car.

So how does it drive? In a nutshell, it drives and rides like any production Corolla Cross. Toyota officials invited members of the media to ride the prototype Corolla Cross (developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing in Japan) with a Japanese hydrogen specialist engineer from Toyota behind the wheel. He drove it at part throttle and also at pedal-to-the-metal and the car accelerated just like any normal gasoline engine car. It even sounds like any regular internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.

But before the drive, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) delivered a comprehensive presentation on its Beyond Zero global initiative with several speakers and decks. Reinforcing Toyota’s global commitment to carbon neutrality, Beyond Zero is Toyota’s corporate initiative toward clean energy and a low carbon economy transition. It aligns with key national policies related to the transportation sector such as the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) and Philippine Energy Plan.

Underscoring its multi-pathway approach to decarbonization, TMP presented the Corolla Cross H2 Concept of a hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle (HICEV). The demo car utilized hydrogen gas supplied by a local producer and was filled through a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) exclusively imported from an end-use application provider in Malaysia.

“For Toyota’s point of view, we would like to provide the most suitable vehicle technology for the country’s specific energy strategy. Matching multi-pathways with energy, Toyota has many powertrains available and currently being developed,” said Toyota Asia Region Chief Executive Officer Masahiko Maeda.

Recognizing the country’s abundant resources, TMP also emphasized the potential of diversifying energy resources to develop related industries and complement the decarbonization goals of various sectors, including transportation. With Toyota’s widest array of xEV powertrain technologies, hydrogen has the potential to be one of the advanced alternative energy sources that presents the possibility of zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Beyond its commitment to decarbonize the entire vehicle life cycle — from raw materials sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, to recycling cars and batteries — TMP stated it is also diversifying sustainable mobility with xEV usership services and exploring the benefits of data solutions and connected technology for travel or logistic efficiency resulting in CO2 reduction.

TMP’s commitment to sustainability extends throughout the entire vehicle life cycle. The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its vehicle manufacturing by 2035 through renewable energy and efficient practices such as responsible vehicle dismantling and battery recycling to minimize waste, among others.

The Corolla Cross hydrogen showcase is an excellent example that not all future zero-emissions alternative-energy or new-energy vehicles have to be electric. Toyota has models in every alternative- and new-energy technology from hybrid to full electric to hydrogen to fuel cell (in the Mirai, which is already available in the US, Europe and Japan).