The merger between Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Hino Motors seems to be taking shape already, even though Archion, which is the new truck company that holds the two brands together, will just start its operations by FY 2026.

MFTBC will unveil two concept models at JMS 2025, which will utilize hydrogen fuel cell technology. The “H2IC” is a heavy-duty truck powered by an internal combustion engine that combusts hydrogen, and the “H2FC” is a heavy-duty truck powered by a fuel cell system. MFTBC believes hydrogen is an effective means to achieve carbon neutrality for commercial vehicles involved in heavy-duty transport and long-distance haulage, owing to its high energy content, long range, and short refueling time.

By utilizing components and technologies common to diesel trucks, the “H2IC” could enable faster and smoother transition to hydrogen vehicles. In particular, H2ICE technology shows particular strength in high-power applications such as construction vehicles. The “H2IC” is fueled with compressed hydrogen gas.

In the “H2FC”, a fuel cell system converts hydrogen to electricity, which then powers an electric motor. The “H2FC” stores hydrogen in liquid form, which has a higher density compared to compressed hydrogen gas. This enables a vehicle with up to 1200 kilometers of driving range, refuelable in 15 minutes, and with no compromise on load body space.

In a Japan-first, the heavy-duty “H2FC” is equipped with a liquid hydrogen tank designed for subcooled liquid hydrogen (sLH2) refueling. Jointly developed by Daimler Truck and Linde Engineering, a global leader in industrial gases and hydrogen infrastructure, this is a liquid hydrogen filling technology that eliminates the need to discharge the boil-off gas (evaporated hydrogen gas) by pressurizing hydrogen during refueling.

It also reduces boil-off during operation. This addresses a challenge previously faced when handling liquid hydrogen. Furthermore, sLH2 significantly simplifies the equipment required at hydrogen stations when using compressed hydrogen gas, contributing to reduced infrastructure costs and the realization of a hydrogen society.

At the MFTBC booth, visitors will be able to learn more about this cutting-edge technology through a panel discussion with Iwatani Corporation and dedicated exhibits on hydrogen technologies.