US Truck manufacturer Paccar and Toyota are extending their collaboration efforts to bring hydrogen-fuelled Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks on the road. These will be equipped with Toyota’s next-generation hydrogen fuel cell modules.

The trucks in question are the Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579, both Paccar brands. Battery-electric offshoots already exist for both vehicles. According to the manufacturers, the first hydrogen trucks will be delivered to customers as early as 2024 and 2025. At least the Kenworth truck can already be pre-ordered in the USA and Canada. Peterbilt did not provide any details for the time being.

According to the manufacturer, the Kenworth T680 has a range of up to 450 miles. That is about 724 kilometres. The truck is equipped with Toyota’s 310 kW Dual Motor Assembly, which delivers a continuous output of 415 hp with a maximum payload of the equivalent of 37 tonnes.

“After years of research and development with Toyota and product testing the T680 FCEV in real-world operations, it’s an exciting time in Kenworth’s history to bring this technologically advanced truck to market”, says Kevin Baney, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice president.

Paccar and Toyota have been developing fuel cell trucks together for several years. As part of a pilot programme, ten Kenworth T680 FCEV trucks were deployed at the Port of Los Angeles last year. That allowed the manufacturer and supplier to further improve the vehicle’s performance and range.

Toyota’s electric fuel cell powertrain, designed for heavy-duty applications, was recently awarded the “Zero Emission Powertrain” certification by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Toyota says it will begin assembling the modules in the United States later this year.