LAS VEGAS – This week, Toyota Motor North America announced a definitive agreement with Hyroad Energy, a pioneer in hydrogen-powered transportation, to deploy 40 hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 commercial trucks in Southern California.
Under the agreement, Hyroad will provide trucks, maintenance, data and software services to support Toyota’s logistics operations. Toyota will supply hydrogen fuel through its own refueling infrastructure, currently under development in Ontario, California.
The two companies are bringing together the interconnected pieces that a functioning hydrogen trucking ecosystem requires — vehicles, software and fuel supply — under a single commercial framework.
"Accelerating the hydrogen economy requires collaboration," said Jason Zahorik, general manager, Toyota Hydrogen Solutions. "By bringing the critical elements together, we’re demonstrating how fuel cells create tangible value across supply chains while advancing a foundational pillar of the hydrogen economy."
For Toyota, this is one piece of a much larger hydrogen commitment that spans more than 30 years. The company is investing significantly in the hydrogen value chain, including fuel cell development and refueling infrastructure, and sees commercial trucking as a critical proving ground for that ecosystem at scale. For example, in keeping supply and demand moving at a rapid pace, a fuel cell Class 8 truck is able to take up to 70 kg of hydrogen onboard—about the same as 12 Toyota Mirai sedans.
Like a diesel semi-truck, a fuel cell Class 8 takes about 15 to 20 minutes to fill and has an approximate driving range of up to 500 miles between fill-ups. Unlike a diesel truck, however, the only local emission from a hydrogen-powered truck is water vapor.
Hyroad's full-service model covers the truck, maintenance and fleet management software under a bundled commercial structure, removing the operational complexity that has historically slowed adoption of alternative-fuel commercial vehicles. As an OEM-agnostic operator rather than a manufacturer, Hyroad’s role is to assemble the pieces — vehicles from multiple sources, hydrogen supply, truck maintenance and software — into a solution fleets can actually use.
In August 2025, Hyroad acquired 117 hydrogen fuel cell trucks, spare parts, software platforms and IP assets from Nikola Corporation’s bankruptcy auction. Thereafter, Hyroad announced an expansion of its service offerings to include comprehensive maintenance and support services for existing Nikola truck owners, software solutions for fleet management, repair services and parts supply.
