Toyota Motor has entered a strategic cooperation with China’s largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer, Sinotruk, to jointly develop hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles, the companies announced this week. The collaboration is aimed at accelerating the deployment of fuel cell trucks in China, with a focus on building a supporting ecosystem for carbon-neutral logistics.
The agreement was signed in late April but made public only now. Under the deal, Toyota and Sinotruk—formally known as China National Heavy Duty Truck Group—plan to jointly develop heavy-duty hydrogen trucks and explore new business models to support the adoption of fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) in China, the world’s largest commercial vehicle market.
“This collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies to further promote zero-emission mobility solutions in China,” said Yoichi Miyazaki, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor, during the signing ceremony in Japan. He noted that the partnership could expand opportunities for Toyota’s fuel cell technology, which the company plans to commercialize more widely starting in 2026.
Toyota introduced its third-generation fuel cell system in February, designed for diverse applications including cars, buses, trains, and stationary power. The new system features a more compact design and higher durability, making it more adaptable to commercial vehicles. “For heavy commercial vehicles, the new fuel cell system offers durability and high performance comparable to diesel engines,” Toyota stated.
Toyota already supplies fuel cell technology to global commercial vehicle manufacturers such as VDL, Paccar, and France’s Hyliko in the truck sector, as well as Caetano Bus and Karsan in the bus market. BMW is also a partner in the passenger car segment.
Sinotruk, headquartered in Jinan, Shandong Province, held a 27% share of China’s heavy truck market in 2024, selling approximately 245,000 vehicles, including 6,166 with alternative powertrains like BEVs and FCEVs. The company was also involved in a major 2022 order of 1,100 hydrogen trucks, placed by three Chinese logistics firms and supported by fuel cell systems from Ballard Power Systems through Sinotruk’s partner Weichai Power.
The Toyota-Sinotruk partnership marks a further step in expanding hydrogen mobility in China’s commercial transport sector, where policymakers are increasingly supportive of fuel cell technologies for long-range and high-load applications.