Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has signed an agreement with Hydrogen Refueling Solutions and ENGIE to build a fast, versatile and cost-effective hydrogen refueling infrastructure. The revolutionary Twin Mid Flow technology enables faster refueling and significantly lower investment costs for hydrogen refueling stations. The partnership aims to support the hydrogen industry in meeting the targets set by the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which requires the construction of publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations every 200 km along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) by 2030. In Hungary, this concerns the roads marked M0, M1, M2, M3, M5 and M7.
The spread of environmentally friendly hydrogen-powered cars and commercial vehicles that emit clean water as a by-product could be given a huge boost by the fact that, according to plans, within just 5 years, by 2030, a hydrogen charging network will be built on Europe’s busiest highways at a maximum distance of 200 kilometers from each other. The new technology planned to be used to build the charging stations will not only drastically reduce the cost of construction, but will also enable much faster charging than now, and there will be no need for separate stops for cars and trucks. 40-ton trucks will be able to refuel 600 kilometers of fuel in 8 minutes and 900 kilometers in 12 minutes.
Toyota Motor Europe has signed an agreement with Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS) and ENGIE to introduce the next generation of hydrogen refuelling systems. The new, faster and more cost-effective solution will be piloted as part of the EU-funded RHeaDHy project, which focuses on accelerating infrastructure deployment.
One of the challenges in expanding hydrogen infrastructure is the need for hydrogen dispensers that can refuel both light and heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles more quickly.
Revolutionary new charging technology
The new Twin Mid Flow technology addresses this challenge by incorporating a dual nozzle with a higher flow rate, allowing one hydrogen dispenser to refuel heavy-duty vehicles in less than 10 minutes and light-duty vehicles in less than 5 minutes. This innovation eliminates the need for two different types of dispensers at each refuelling station.The practical advantage of this is that a 40-ton truck can be refueled with hydrogen for a range of 600 kilometers in just 8 minutes, and for a range of 900 kilometers in just 12 minutes.
Lower installation costs
The installation costs of such hydrogen refuelling stations will be significantly lower, which will contribute to accelerating their deployment, in line with the target set in the European Union’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) to install publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations every 200 kilometres on the TEN-T networks by 2030.
As a leading developer of hydrogen technology, Toyota is playing a major role.
Under the agreement just signed, Toyota will provide a test unit and a truck equipped with Twin Mid Flow technology. Hydrogen Refuelling Solutions and ENGIE will develop a new generation of hydrogen refuelling stations compatible with this innovation, which will be tested in the RHeaDHy project from the fourth quarter of 2025.
“To contribute to the growth of hydrogen ecosystems, Toyota is already working with business partners who are innovating a wide range of zero-carbon applications using our advanced fuel cell systems. The development of Twin Mid Flow technology is the next step in our efforts to drive the growth of hydrogen ecosystems. We are excited about this new partnership,” said Thiebault Paquet, Toyota’s Vice President of R&D for Europe. “This strategic partnership between Toyota Motor Europe and ENGIE represents a decisive step in the innovation of hydrogen refueling infrastructure. By combining our expertise, we will accelerate the deployment of hydrogen refueling stations in Europe and around the world, reduce refueling times, and make stations more accessible and cost-effective. Together, we are laying the foundations for a future where hydrogen will play a central role in decarbonizing transport worldwide,” added Hassen Rachedi, CEO and founder of Hydrogen Refueling Solutions.
As the project coordinator and a research center with expertise in refueling simulation and refueling protocols, ENGIE is proud to join forces with Toyota Motor Europe and HRS to leverage the RHeaDHy project. By promoting high-flow refueling solutions, this partnership will strengthen the hydrogen ecosystem and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy. Together, we will set new standards for sustainable mobility and strengthen the role of hydrogen in decarbonizing transport,” says Quentin Nouvelot, Head of ENGIE’s H2 Mobility Research Program.
(The hydrogen dispensers shown in the images still represent current technology.)
Hydrogen Refuelling Solutions (HRS)
Hydrogen Refuelling Solutions is a leading manufacturer of high-capacity hydrogen refuelling stations. HRS offers a complete and unique range of modular and scalable stations, manufactured at its industrial site in Grenoble, France. It also has a test site, the only one of its kind in Europe, dedicated to testing and piloting stations and developing future products and solutions for the hydrogen mobility market.
ENGIE
ENGIE is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. With 97,000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, the group strives every day to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by its objectives, ENGIE aligns economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on its key businesses (gas, renewables, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. The coordinator of the RHeaDHy project, ENGIE Lab CRIGEN, ENGIE’s research and innovation center, is investigating advanced energy technologies in several areas, in particular hydrogen. It contributes to the development of hydrogen production, storage and distribution solutions to support the energy transition.
RHeaDHy
The EU-funded RHeaDHy project (Refuelling Heavy Duty with very High flow Hydrogen) aims to develop high-performance hydrogen refueling stations for heavy-duty vehicles. The project focuses on creating and testing new protocols that will allow trucks operating with 700 bar hydrogen to refuel 100 kg of hydrogen in 10 minutes.This project is part of the EU’s efforts to decarbonise freight transport and to support the market for hydrogen-powered trucks, contributing to this by building a robust refuelling station network. The RHeaDHy project was funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under grant agreement 101101443, with support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.
