Toyota and SinoHytec’s 50:50 joint venture has opened a brand new hydrogen fuel cell R&D and production plant in Beijing, China.
Huafeng Fuel Cell Co. (FCTS) – the joint venture of the Japanese automaker and Chinese fuel cell system manufacturer – started production at the plant, with capacity to manufacture up to 10,000 fuel cell systems annually.
Expected to primarily meet demand in heavy-duty commercial vehicles, the current 44,000m2 production area is expected to be expanded to 113,000m2 in a second construction phase in 2026.
The site also features test workshops, R&D buildings, laboratories, hydrogen stations and waste warehouses, according to the Chinese venture.
Fuel cells produced at the site will be based on Toyota’s technology, which has been used in its own vehicles, third-party generators and more.
Within China, the Japanese firm has met demand from domestic commercial vehicle manufacturers including China First Automobile, Dongfeng Motor Group and more.
“In the Chinese market, hydrogen energy technology is used in many application scenarios such as cold chain and logistics represented by buses and heavy trucks, and is growing at an astonishing rate,” said Toyota China General Manager, Tatsuro Uedo.
“For the sake of the smiles of our customers, as a parent company, Toyota will fully support and implement a lean production system that adopts the Toyota Production System in the new Beijing plant, firmly rooted in manufacturing culture, and continue to provide high-quality and cost-effective products to the Chinese and even global markets.”
The company says it will continue to expand its work with Chinese companies and “respond to the government’s call,” to provide “more abundant hydrogen energy products to resolve issues in the commercial vehicle field.”
It comes as Chinese state-owned firms launched a new consortium aimed at bolstering the nation’s green hydrogen capabilities and innovation.
Read more: China’s state-owned energy enterprises unite under green hydrogen consortium
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