Toyota and hydrogen across the sea

Toyota and hydrogen across the sea. Listen these words, from a Toyota press release, posted on February 3rd (Toyota and Hydrogen. In Italy too, together with ENI).

Toyota and hydrogen across the sea. Power to Energy Observer

“Toyota has been involved in the Energy Observer project from the start, because of hydrogen being at the very heart of this amazing journey. During a six-year odyssey, which started in 2017, the Energy Observer team is navigating the first energy-autonomous hydrogen boat around the globe. The electrically propelled vessel of the future operates by using a mix of renewable energies and a system that produces carbon-free hydrogen from seawater. For the next leg in the journey, Energy Observer and Toyota have worked closely together to introduce Toyota’s leading fuel cell technology in the boat. Toyota Technical Center Europe has especially developed this fuel cell system, using components first introduced in the Toyota Mirai and fitted it into a compact module suitable for marine applications. It will deliver more power and efficiency, but also high reliability to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean this year. The R&D team in Europe managed within 7 months the design and component production, followed by the build and installation of the compact fuel cell module. This successfully demonstrates the adaptability of the Toyota fuel cell technology to a variety of applications. At the end of last year, the fuel cell module was tested in the boat in the shipyard. Currently, the final full power testing is being done at sea before the Energy Observer sails off for their 2020 Tour mid-February”.

His name is REXH2

Sometimes you have to start from the past, albeit recent, to talk about the present. Because Toyota seems to have taken a liking to it. In fact, the news of the yacht Hinova 40, which will replicate the Observer energy experiment, dates back much more recently.

The REXH2 is a modular maritime hydrogen power solution developed around Toyota’s fuel cell technology. It has been succesfully tested in real open sea conditions aboard the Energy Observer boat for over more than 7,000 nautical miles including trans-Atlantic crossings. The hydrogen-electric hybrid technology in the REXH2 makes silent maritime and river mobility without emissions of CO2 or fine particles possible.

And now, let’s go, HYNOVA40

Energy Observer Developments presented this REXH2 in the HYNOVA 40, a 12m boat from HYNOVA Yachts, which can be used as a day-boat or a superyacht tender. While the Energy Observer boat’s main propulsion comes from electricity directly generated from sun and wind, the HYNOVA Yacht is a battery electric boat, supplemented with the Hydrogen Range Extender with the Toyota fuel cell at its core. With a capacity of 12 passengers, it is the first pleasure boat equipped with fuel cell technolgy and brings zero emissions, hydrogen-electric hybrid technology to the wider maritime industry.

The Toyota fuel cell module inside the REXH2 delivers up to 60 kW rated net power and is based on the existing fuel cell technology from the Toyota Mirai. The R&D carried out by the EODev and Toyota teams has made it possible to perfectly adapt the technology to the challenging conditions of the marine environment.