Moreland City Council will run two fuel cell Toyota Mirai as part of a fleet trial.
Moreland says the trial, which AutoTalk understands will be announced in detail in coming weeks, will continue the council’s commitment to reducing its emissions footprint.
“We’re is excited to announce Moreland’s participation in a Toyota Australia initiative to trial two Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in its fleet,” the council says.
“Council believes that a well-balanced and resource responsible path to a zero-emissions transport future will likely see battery electric vehicles fill much of the personal transport space, and fuel cell electric vehicles much of the commercial and public transport space,” it explains on LinkedIn.
The trial will add to Moreland’s sizeable fleet of Nissan Leaf EVs, with on-site charging from JetCharge and dedicated parking spaces for staff use.
“Council sees battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles filling specific roles in a zero-emissions transport future and supports them as equally important technologies,” the council adds.
The municipality was the first in Australia to adopt a “Fossil Fuel Divestment” process in 2015, and began investigating “options for renewable Hydrogen generation for transport in Moreland” back in 2016. It later announced it was planning a small pilot project fleet of hydrogen fuel cell garbage trucks.
The garbage truck project was part of a collaboration with IVECO (CNH Industries), hydrogen technology suppliers H2U and a series of other companies.
AutoTalk understands the garbage truck project may not be completed, but that the council is doubling down on its promise to pursue its renewable energy and emission-free goals.
