Toyota warns of China’s lead in hydrogen tech
Published on: May 9, 2025
Hydrogen fuel in China is reportedly between a quarter and half the cost of H2 in Japan.
Toyota’s hydrogen chief, Mitsumasa Yamagata, has warned that without urgent investment, countries risk ceding leadership in hydrogen vehicle technology to China, just as they did with battery-electric vehicles.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Yamagata highlighted China’s rapid progress: government-backed “hydrogen highways,” a growing refueling network, and lower fuel costs, up to three times cheaper than in Japan. In 2024, China sold 7,069 hydrogen trucks and buses – more than the rest of the world combined, according to Interact Analysis.
While hydrogen fuel cells are ideal for long-haul transport, scaling infrastructure and lowering costs remain major hurdles. Japan and the EU face slow progress, and U.S. funding is uncertain.
Battery-electric trucks are also gaining ground, with zero-emission commercial vehicle sales reaching 230,000 units last year. But Yamagata argued batteries alone can’t support heavy-duty transport, calling for multiple decarbonisation pathways.
Toyota, a longtime hydrogen proponent, is shifting focus to commercial vehicles. It recently launched a third-gen fuel-cell system and opened a joint venture in Beijing with SinoHytec, capable of producing 10,000 units a year.
