Three companies, Sasol, Toyota SA Motors (TSAM) and Air Products South Africa (APSA), presented South Africa’s inaugural on-road demonstration of a hydrogen mobility ecosystem at the Smart Mobility Africa Summit.
This groundbreaking proof of concept utilised a second-generation Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fueled by hydrogen produced by Sasol, with dispensing technology provided by Air Products. The collaborative partnership, formed in 2021, aims to promote hydrogen as a future fuel solution.
Fleetwood Grobler, the president and CEO of Sasol, remarked, “This is an important stepping stone towards realising the ambitious goal of developing an on-road hydrogen mobility ecosystem. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, has the potential to be a game-changer in the quest for sustainable transportation.”
Priscillah Mabelane, Sasol’s executive vice president of energy business, added, “Sasol is proud to showcase the potential of a hydrogen transportation system, boosted by our first green hydrogen production at our Sasolburg Operations.
“We have installed an initial 3MW solar farm in Sasolburg, supplemented by a supply of 69MWs of renewable energy from a wind farm in the Eastern Cape in 2024. With both renewable resources, we will have sufficient power to commercialise green hydrogen in South Africa, marking a significant step in our energy transition journey.”
This demonstration highlighted a hydrogen mobility ecosystem, offering a sustainable alternative to decarbonise challenging-to-electrify sectors such as long-haul trucks, buses and mining fleets.
Andrew Kirby, the president and CEO of TSAM, explained, “Toyota has been actively involved in researching and developing vehicles using hydrogen as a source of motive power for more than 30 years, dating back to 1992. It has sold more than 25 000 fuel cell electric vehicles since then. Today, we are proud to have two second-generation Toyota Mirai sedans participating in the ecosystem demonstration.”
Rob Richardson, the managing director of APSA, said, “Air Products has a long history in South Africa as a leader in the local industrial gas market and supply chain management. Globally, we have been conducting safe hydrogen fuelling for more than 25 years, with an average of 1.5 million hydrogen fuelling operations annually. Air Products operates more than 250 hydrogen fuelling sites in 20 countries and holds 50 patents for hydrogen fuelling.”
The hydrogen market is well-suited for longer-distance travel and larger vehicles like trucks and buses. Toyota is engaged in several projects where FCEVs are used as commercial vehicles, either manufactured by it or conversions of existing models from other manufacturers.
Toyota UK recently unveiled a Hilux bakkie fitted with a specially adapted Mirai fuel cell powertrain, showcasing the versatility of hydrogen technology.
To make hydrogen infrastructure viable, businesses and fleets must commit to purchasing hydrogen FCEVs and substantial quantities of hydrogen upfront. Green hydrogen pricing varies, with economies of scale playing a crucial role in determining cost. TSAM looks forward to contributing to this exciting and demanding journey towards sustainable hydrogen mobility.
Source: MotorPress
