• Toyota Australia partners with EODev to assemble EODEV GEH2 generators at Altona production facility starting in Q1, 2024
• Toyota to invest $3.27m to assemble up to 100 generators over the next three years
• EODev GEH2® power generators use the same hydrogen fuel cell system as the Toyota Mirai
• Toyota fuel cell system to provide zero emission (CO2, NOx, fine particles) power generation for a wide range of applications

Through this partnership, Toyota Australia will invest $3.27 million to assemble EODev’s GEH2® power generators at its former manufacturing facility at Altona in Melbourne from the first quarter of 2024.

Toyota will also become the Australian distributor for both locally assembled and fully built EODev GEH2® generators that will be sold in Australia through retail partner Blue Diamond Machinery – Australia’s leading national independent distributor of off-grid power solutions and the exclusive supplier of EODev’s GEH2 generator.

To further expand opportunities, Toyota Australia will also sell the power generators and Toyota New Zealand will be its first customer, with plans for them to import and distribute in the New Zealand market.

EODev’s GEH2 generator

The first model to be assembled will be the 110kVA GEH2® generator, which uses the same Toyota Fuel Cell system that powers the Toyota Mirai FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) and provides zero CO2, NOx or fine particle emission power generation suitable for a wide range of applications.

As the market develops, additional models with higher power supply will be considered for assembly and distribution in Australia.

Toyota Australia President and CEO Matthew Callachor said Toyota was committed to exploring and developing further applications for its fuel cell technology and helping to grow Australia’s hydrogen economy.

“Toyota fully supports the Australian federal and state governments’ drive in growing our hydrogen economy and is committed to exploring opportunities for our fuel cell technology well beyond its automotive use,” Mr Callachor said.

“This agreement signed today is not about a trial or pilot program, it is about concrete action that will improve Australian businesses’ access to stationary hydrogen fuel cell generators and help them reduce their carbon footprint.

“At the same time, our investment will help to build Australian skills and capabilities in hydrogen technologies in what is a rapidly growing industry that will help Australia meet its emission reduction targets,” Mr Callachor said.

Since the launch of the 2019 National Hydrogen Strategy, 22 hydrogen projects are in operation or under construction across the country with Australian governments having committed $6.3b towards hydrogen industry development through project, infrastructure, policy and R&D funding¹.

Toyota Australia and EODev – GEH2

EODev CEO Jérémie Lagarrigue said the agreement represented a milestone for the French company, being the first time its GEH2® power generator will be assembled outside of its production facility in France.

“The GEH2® generator has been in production since 2021 and is currently sold across several European markets, in North America, in the Middle East, and in Australia. We see a fast growing potential for its use in this part of the world” Mr Lagarrigue said.

“We are pleased to have the support of Toyota Australia in being able to assemble the generators locally, which will enable more customers to access this clean technology and help reduce noxious emissions from local power generation.

“Many companies are committed to reducing their CO2 emissions and as a zero-emission alternative to diesel generators, EODev’s GEH2® offers a perfect solution,” he said.

GEH2 Hydrogen Power generator applications

Potential applications for the GEH2® power generator include powering remote off-grid sites such as mining sites, construction sites, BEV charging sites, and to be used for events.

The GEH2® generator can also be used to provide emergency backup power for hospitals, commercial buildings and anywhere where stable power supply is required.

Blue Diamond Director Justin Pitts said the Company was delighted to grow its relationship with EODev and Toyota and to accelerate the rollout of GEH2 generators.

“Blue Diamond is dedicated to broadening the adoption of low-and-zero emission technologies like the GEH2 and ultimately supporting Australia’s journey to Net Zero 2050.

“It’s very exciting to see our partnership with EODev and Toyota progress to a stage where the GEH2s can now be manufactured locally and made available to local industry.

“The Company is delighted to contribute to Australia’s decarbonisation efforts and thanks EODev and Toyota for their investment in growing Australia’s nascent hydrogen sector,” Mr Pitts said.

Toyota demonstrated the potential for the EODev GEH2® hydrogen fuel cell generator last year when it was used to power the giant neon sign at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne during an AFL match, and again earlier this year at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix where it powered six marquees in the tech hub over four days.

Toyota Hydrogen production

In early 2021, Toyota commissioned Victoria’s first commercial-grade permanent hydrogen production, storage and refuelling facility at Altona that can generate and store up to 80kg of hydrogen per day using a 200kW electrolyser.

Power for the electrolyser is drawn from a combination of an 87kW solar array, a 100kW battery storage and mains grid depending on what’s available at the time and is used to refuel fuel cell forklifts that Toyota uses in other parts of the Altona complex and hydrogen FCEVs, like the Mirai FCEV.

The Mirai is currently being leased by progressive organisations including energy retailer Red Energy, hydrogen fuel-cell bus and truck manufacturer Hyzon, Telstra, ACCIONA and Ventia as part of a long-term pilot program.

Earlier this year, Toyota demonstrated other applications for its fuel cell technology during a travelling Hydrogen Showcase that toured the major capital cities.

The showcase included innovative products such as a Toyota HiAce-based food truck concept that used fuel cells to power both the vehicle and electrical cooking appliances and a 33-seat H2 City Gold Bus, powered by Toyota fuel cell technology.

1 State of Hydrogen 2022

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Driven by the increased demand for more electric cars, new and more affordable models, US-based manufacturing has also gained momentum. In 2022 alone, car makers spent $22.34 billion on building new battery construction facilities and another $10.71 billion on auto assembly plants.

“Manufacturers’ investments in new assembly and battery-making facilities on US territory are likely to increase in 2023, fuelled by the rise in demand but more importantly, by the intent to resolve the supply chain issues of the past few years”, says Alan Goldberg, a market analyst at BestBrokers

“While manufacturing could be brought back to the US, car makers still face possible materials shortages as key minerals are mined by the likes of China, Russia, and the DRC”, he adds.

71% of Americans show interest in buying or leasing an electric vehicle

Key Takeaways:

– $22.34 billion spent on US-based battery factories in 2022 due to increased EV demand

– 71% of Americans express some level of interest in buying or leasing an electric-only vehicle

– Only 2% of Americans say they have a battery electric vehicle (BEV)

– 14% would “definitely” buy or lease an EV if they were to get one today

– In 2021, sales of plug-in EVs in the U.S. have doubled YoY to 630,000 cars, accounting for 10% of global sales

– EV sales in the U.S. hit a record high in Q2 2022 – 196,788, up 66.4% from Q2 2021

– EV sales in the U.S. hit a record high in Q2 and Q3 of 2022 – 196,788 cars were sold during the second quarter, followed by 205,682 more units in Q3

Although being around for decades, electric vehicles have rapidly grown in popularity only in the past few years. More people are now looking for a car that is cheaper to run and maintain than conventional gasoline cars, and one that comes with net zero carbon emissions.

Many countries around the world have introduced plans to reduce their carbon footprint. And a huge part of these plans includes the phasing out of gas cars. Europe is leading in these efforts – in January, the EU agreed to end sales of combustion engine vehicles by 2035. But the change is coming to the U.S., too. In late August, California approved a ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, and four other states have taken steps to follow suit. Another 15 states have backed California’s zero-emission vehicle requirements.

This raises one question – are Americans ready to switch to electric vehicles considering their love for bigger, faster, and more powerful cars? In search of the answer the team at BestBrokers analyzed and visualized data from a recently-released nationally representative survey by Consumer Reports, entitled “Battery Electric Vehicles and Low Carbon Fuel”. The answer might turn out to be more conclusive than one would expect.

Growing Interest in EVs

The U.S. car market is still largely dominated by gasoline-powered vehicles but interest in electric vehicles has grown rapidly according to the most recent survey by Consumer Reports. The survey finds that 71% of consumers in the U.S. express interest in buying or leasing an electric-only car if they were to get one today.

14% of Americans say they would “definitely” buy/lease one, an increase from 4% who said the same in a similar survey in 2020. Another 22% of respondents say would “seriously consider” buying or leasing an EV, and 35% “might consider” one. At the same time, only 2% say they currently have a battery electric vehicle (BEV), while 3% have had one in the past.

When asked what would make them consider an EV, most people point out that the most important factors are cost-related. 33% say that it costs less to charge an EV than to refuel a gas car, 31% say lower lifetime costs and 28% say lower maintenance costs.

America Interest in EVs Peaks in 2022 in Terms of Sales

Interest in a particular product does not always translate into more sales but it seems to be the case with EVs in the past two years. The International Energy Agency has estimated that electric car sales nearly doubled year on year to 6.6 million in 2021. They accounted for approximately 9% of the global car market, which was 4 times their market share in 2019.

Half of all sales were made in China, followed by Europe where 2.3 million EVs were sold. With 630,000 sales last year, the United States accounted for 10% of the market. The figures do not include fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs that use hydrogen fuel cells) or full hybrids (the battery only provides enough power for driving the car at slower speeds). The IEA report includes only battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Sales in the U.S. really picked up in 2022 – there was 60% increase in EV registrations in the first quarter of 2022. Although they still only make up around 4.6% of the overall new-car market, their share is expected to increase more rapidly in the coming years.

Figures vary slightly across reporting organizations but according to Cox Automotive, sales of battery-powered EVs jumped to 196,788 in the second quarter of this year, a record high and a 13% increase from Q1. This is also a 66.4% jump from the same period in 2021. Meanwhile, the overall new-car market slowed down with an estimated y-o-y decrease of more than 20%. Sales of hybrids (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also dropped in Q2. Still, electric car sales in all categories currently make up 12.6% of the total market. Sales of pure EVs account for 5.6% of the total market.

Figures for the third quarter show another record high for EV sales – 205,682 pure EVs were sold, which was a 68% rise year-over-year from the 122,744 units sold in Q3 2021. Sales of hybrids and plug-in hybrids fell 16% from the third quarter of 2021 to 206,072. According to the Cox Automotive data, only 172 fuel cell EVs were sold in Q3 2022, compared to 796 units in the previous quarter and 770 in Q3 of 2021.

Less Than a Third Won’t Buy an EV

Researchers asked those who would not consider getting an electric car (28% of all surveyed) about the reasons behind their reluctance. The top 3 barriers to buying or leasing an EV were charging logistics (61%), the number of miles the vehicle can go before it needs to be charged (55%), and the costs involved with buying, owning, and maintaining an EV (52%).

Additional questions were asked to those who pointed to cost-related or charging concerns as to what would prevent them from getting an electric car. The main cost-related factors were purchase price (58%), maintenance and repair costs (40%), cost of installing a home charger (30%), and battery replacement costs (29%).

Of those who indicated having doubts about the charging logistics of an EV, 59% said there were not enough public charging stations. Other issues mentioned as barriers were a lack of place at home to plug in the car (59%), inconvenience of charging (42%), and long charging times (37%).

Nearly Half of America Unaware of Incentives

According to the survey, nearly half of U.S. consumers (46%) are unaware of the incentives available to purchase an EV. 34% say they have heard about tax rebates or discounts being offered at the time of purchase or lease. 28% of people knew about tax credits applied at a later time and 18% have heard about certain discounts when installing a home charger and about exemptions from vehicle emissions inspections.

When asked what incentives would encourage them to get an EV, 53% of respondents indicated that these would be tax rebates or discounts when purchasing the vehicle. Others said discounts to install a home charger (49%), tax credits applied at a later time (45%), discounted charging rates (41%), and government incentives for used electric-only vehicles (41%).

Car Makers Invest Billions in Building a America Domestic EV Supply Chain

The shift to EVs is picking up speed in the US with increased demand from consumers and federal incentives for manufacturing car batteries on US soil. 2022 has been a busy year for auto makers in the US who spent billions in the construction of new car assembly factories and battery facilities. The supply chain disruptions over the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic have put pressure on the industry to find new suppliers of parts and materials. The Russian war in Ukraine came with new restrictions, highlighting the importance of creating a domestic EV supply chain.

According to the Center for Automotive Research, cited by the Wall Street Journal, car manufacturers have revealed investment plans totaling roughly $33 billion in 2022. The projects include the construction of car assembly factories for $10.71 billion, while spending on EV battery plants was even greater – around $22.34 billion. These figures are hardly surprising, considering President Biden’s pledge in May to provide $3.1 billion in funding to support US EV battery manufacturing.

In August Honda Motor Co. announced plans for a joint venture company with LG Energy Solution to produce lithium-ion batteries for Honda and Acura EV models. The new $4.4 billion plant would be built in the US. Another company to partner up with LG was General Motors Co., which opened a new battery factory in Ohio. It would add another two facilities, in Tennessee and Michigan. Meanwhile, Toyota is building a $3.8 billion battery production factory a North Carolina. Ford, Hyuindai, and Stellantis have also poured billions in EV projects that are currently underway.

“Manufacturers’ investments in new assembly and battery-making facilities on US territory are likely to increase in 2023, fueled by the rise in demand but more importantly, by the intent to resolve the supply chain issues of the past few years”, comments Alan Goldberg, a market analyst at BestBrokers. “While manufacturing could be brought back to the US, car makers still face possible materials shortages as key minerals are mined by the likes of China, Russia, and the DRC.”

Methodology

Data was gathered from a nationally representative survey of 8,027 America consumers, which was released in July by nonprofit consumer research organization Consumer Reports. It was conducted in late January and February online and by phone. Respondents were U.S adults ages 18 and older (average age of 48 years old), 52% were female, 62% were white, non-Hispanic, and 57% had a household income of $50,000 or more.

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