All signs point towards electric vehicles being the future of motoring. This, however, doesn’t mean other alternatives should be left off the table entirely.
Toyota, for example, is investing heavily in hydrogen-related automotive technology. The Japanese car brand has already built a hydrogen-powered GR Corolla and is already tinkering with using the same applications with the Hilux pickup. Now, add the Corolla Cross to the growing list of Toyotas capable of running on the stuff.
This is the Corolla Cross H2 Concept, and it’s already undergoing real-world testing. It’s scheduled to start winter tests in Japan soon, too. Some of the advantages a vehicle like this would have over other competitors include faster refueling times and reduced dependence on elements like lithium and nickel.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
This minimalist Muji x Honda ebike is now in PH with an P89,998 price tag
36 LTO field offices are unable to provide license-related services at the moment
The Corolla Cross H2 Concept comes equipped with the same 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine inside the GR Corolla. This, however, has been paired with the same hydrogen tank found inside the Toyota Mirai (just like what the company recently did with the Hilux).
The brand says it’s “around 40% along the path to commercialization” for the Corolla Cross H2 Concept and its other experimental hydrogen vehicles. Toyota won’t say, however, whether or not this will eventually hit the market.
“It is not yet possible to say if the technology will reach maturity for road cars,” the company said. “But there is, without doubt, a clear opportunity in motorsports.”
Interesting. Do you believe there’s room for hydrogen-powered models in the electric age of motoring? Let us know what you think in the comments.