Toyota has established a North American hydrogen headquarters in its Los Angeles Research and Development office, reports CBT News.
The facility in Los Angeles played a large role in introducing the Mirai, Toyota’s light-duty fuel cell car, back in 2015.
The new hydrogen headquarters–dubbed “H2HQ”–will serve as a base for its North American hydrogen projects. Stationary fuel cell power generation, port vehicle applications, and both light and heavy-duty fuel cell applications will be researched at the headquarters.
In the new facility, Toyota will develop a microgrid allowing it to run off the grid, which includes a 500-kWh battery energy storage system, 230-kW solar photovoltaic system, a 1-MW stationary proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell generator, and a 325-kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The microgrid is expected to be fully operational by 2026.
There are plans for a sustainable education center to launch in the HQ as well, with tours being available for reservation.
“Renaming this facility as North American hydrogen headquarters represents our leadership
in fuel cell development, creating real-world products to help reduce carbon emissions,” said Ted Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America.
