Toyota, EU Join Forces to Build Hydrogen Infrastructure Across Europe
New hydrogen (H2) fueling infrastructure is coming to Europe courtesy of a partnership between Toyota, ENGIE, Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS), and several EU initiatives.
The collaboration will advance progress toward milestones outlined in the EU’s “Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR)”, designed to establish clean transportation across member countries.
This partnership aims to build a comprehensive hydrogen refueling network with no more than 200 kilometers (~125 miles) between any two stations. If successful, this would unlock hydrogen as a viable fuel source for public transit, heavy-duty transport, and logistics providers across Europe.
Can this ambitious plan establish clean transport across Europe; and what role will automaker Toyota play?
Read on to learn more.
Solutions for the Infrastructure Challenges of Hydrogen Mobility
Limited infrastructure has always been a bottleneck for the sustainable “future fuel.” Hydrogen requires specialized production, storage, transport, and vehicle systems. Without ample refueling stations, fleet operators have hesitated to invest in hydrogen. Thankfully, government initiatives and private sector investments are gradually overcoming this obstacle.
Hydrogen advocates are hopeful that the EU’s expansion of alternative fueling infrastructure will set the fuel source on a similar course as the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) used globally today.
Beyond advancing hydrogen fuel, the EU’s AFIR mandate is part of a broader project called the “Trans-European Transport Network,” or TEN-T. This far-reaching plan aims to connect 430 major cities across the EU with a streamlined and sustainable transportation system—including air-, water-, and roadways.
The comprehensive roadway network outlined in TEN-T is where the EU hopes to fulfill its ambitious goal of having hydrogen fuel stations every 125 miles by 2030.
So, where does Toyota fit into all this?
Toyota’s Twin Mid Flow Technology: High-Volume H2 Fueling for Heavy-Duty Transport
On January 28, 2025, Toyota Motor Europe announced its role in the EU’s hydrogen infrastructure development plans. Toyota’s interest in hydrogen fuel cell mobility dates back decades, advancing the technology alongside other automotive manufacturers.
However, this latest development could be Toyota’s greatest contribution to the hydrogen transition. As the company summarized in its press release:
“One of the challenges for expanding hydrogen supply infrastructure is the need for hydrogen dispensers that can refuel both light-duty and heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles faster.”
This problem is somewhat understated by the reserved tone. The lack of high-flow hydrogen fueling for commercial applications has been a long-standing barrier preventing wider adoption.
The EU established project RHeaDHy (Refuelling Heavy Duty with very High flow Hydrogen) to find solutions to this exact problem and help decarbonize heavy transport. This is where Toyota comes into play.
The automotive giant joined an agreement with Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS) and ENGIE (more on them below) to develop the fueling technology innovation that RHeaDHy needs to create full-service hydrogen stations.
Toyota calls it “Twin Mid Flow Technology,” a dual fueling system that enables light- and heavy-duty compatibility with the same dispenser. Its performance goal is to refuel 40-tonne vehicles with enough hydrogen for 900 kilometers (~560 miles) in just 12 minutes.
The company aims to provide a prototype vehicle for initial testing by quarter four of 2025. If successful, the innovation will be implemented in stations across the TEN-T network.
The Role of ENGIE and Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS)
Americans are likely unfamiliar with the French companies ENGIE and HRS, but both have contributed significantly to hydrogen energy advancements. At the government level, France has consistently supported alternative fueling and made the nation a top contributor to the EU’s hydrogen economy.
Hydrogen Refueling Solutions, aptly named, specializes in developing H2 fueling stations. Once Toyota’s prototype is tested and approved, HRS will design the supporting infrastructure needed to implement the system at scale.
ENGIE is a multinational energy and infrastructure company with proven expertise in alternative energy. Its relevant past projects include integrating green hydrogen into France’s natural gas lines and developing hydrogen bus refueling stations. ENGIE’s research and development lab—CRIGEN—will oversee, test, and optimize the new infrastructure Europe-wide.
This trifecta of engineering teams from Toyota, ENGIE, and HRS is laying the groundwork for a historic expansion of hydrogen energy.
Scaling Hydrogen Refueling Across Europe (and Beyond)
Project RHeaDHy’s coordinated collaboration with hydrogen industry leaders may be the support this alternative fuel source has needed to gain global traction. In addition to the outlined technological advancements, the agreement has major economic implications.
By making hydrogen refueling more efficient, Toyota’s new technology will make fuel cell vehicles more feasible for fleets and logistics managers.
Beyond efficiency, this dual-use technology will be significantly more affordable to implement at scale. Where hydrogen fueling stations have traditionally needed separate dispensers for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, Toyota may enable new constructions to integrate both in the same space and significantly cut initial startup costs.
Implementing these solutions across the TEN-T network would also be the strongest proof-of-concept hydrogen fuel has seen (though hard-to-abate industries have seen noteworthy success with H2).
Combined with ENGIE’s energy infrastructure guidance and HRS—which claims a development capacity of 180 stations per year—the collaboration could see a swift rollout.
Looking farther ahead, connecting the EU end-to-end with hydrogen infrastructure could spur broader developments in neighboring countries and continents. Climate and alternative fuel advocates hope that once the hydrogen floodgates are open, the sustainable and zero-emission fuel will spread quickly and reach availability on par with fossil fuels.
Build the Future of Hydrogen Mobility with FASTECH
In its current state, America’s hydrogen market is lagging behind the EU’s. However, this trend doesn’t have to continue. With a federal standard recently established for clean hydrogen production tax credits, investment incentives have never been better.
FASTECH is leading the charge in building America’s hydrogen infrastructure. Over 15 years of alternative fueling expertise, FASTECH has built more than 30 hydrogen stations for industry leaders, including a clean tri-gen power plant (made in collaboration with Toyota).
Transportation, mobility, and logistics providers interested in joining the push for clean hydrogen solutions can contact FASTECH for expert consultation.
