Toyota establishes production chain for fuel cells in China

Toyota started construction work on the new fuel cell centre in October 2022. In addition to the research and development laboratories and production facilities, the site in the Beijing Economic Technological Development Area also includes a hydrogen filling station. As Toyota China announced at the opening of the facility, around 10,000 fuel cell systems and stacks can be produced per year in the first expansion stage on 44,000 square metres. An expansion to 113,000 square metres is already planned and is scheduled to begin in 2026.

Toyota’s two Chinese fuel cell joint ventures for commercial vehicles – United Fuel Cell System R&D (Toyota holds 65 per cent of the shares) and Toyota Sinohytec Fuel Cell (Toyota holds 50 per cent) – have invested in the plant. Toyota mentioned at the groundbreaking ceremony that the investment would amount to around 8 billion yen (around 50 million euros). Both companies are also based in Beijing. United Fuel Cell System was founded in 2020 by Toyota with FAW, Dongfeng, GAC, BAIC and SinoHytec. In June 2021, the second joint venture, Toyota Sinohytec Fuel Cell, was founded (only with SinoHytec as a partner). The first company focuses on research and development, and the second on production and market development.

According to Toyota China, the new plant will utilise the research results of United Fuel Cell System R&D to develop new fuel cell systems and stacks focusing on commercial vehicles. Toyota Sinohytec Fuel Cell will be responsible for the subsequent production. The aim is to establish a complete fuel cell production chain for the Chinese market. “Hydrogen technology is being used in the Chinese market in many applications such as buses and heavy-duty trucks, cold chain, logistics and other applications that are growing at a phenomenal rate,” says Tatsuro Ueda, Chief Executive Officer of Toyota China.

yicaiglobal.com, toyota.com.cn (in Chinese)