EV is not the only future; Thailand launches its first prototype hydrogen station for FCEV

Thailand has launched its first prototype hydrogen refuelling station for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) at Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province.

PTT, OR, Bangkok Industrial Gas Company Limited (BIG), Toyota Daihatsu Engineering and Manufacturing, and Toyota Motor Thailand are in a collaborative partnership to achieve the country's carbon neutrality goals.

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Being a prototype hydrogen fuel station, it is tested with a Toyota Mirai FCEV, used as a limousine service between U-Tapao International Airport and Pattaya, Chonburi province for data collection.

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Wisarn Chawalitanon, Acting Chief Executive Officer, PTT Oil and Retail Public Company Limited (OR), said that FCEV users are not required to shift their refuelling behaviour as filling hydrogen for passenger cars takes only 5 minutes, thus addressing the needs of modern consumers who prefer time-saving and convenient services.

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Prasanna Ganesh, Executive Vice President of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering and Manufacturing, said, “With our believe in multiple pathways, Toyota committed to offer different electrification and clean technologies to reach carbon neutrality with speed and scale. We also pursue our mission in decarbonization for the whole vehicle life cycle.

“We see great potential in hydrogen because of its multiple usages and benefits, from production to storage, distribution to usage in various sectors.”

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Noriaki Yamashita, President of Toyota Motor Thailand, highlights that Toyota wants to prepare as many options as possible for our customers around the world and “we are living in a diversified world and in an era in which it is hard to predict the future.”

“Toyota takes the ‘Multiple Pathway Strategy’ towards the carbon neutrality, with a variety of powertrain technology such as HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV and more. This is following our principle of ‘Mobility for all’ and ‘Leave No One Behind’,” he added.

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