Hino launches Profia Z FCV – Japan’s first mass-produced hydrogen truck
Hino Motors has confirmed the launch date for its first fuel cell heavy-duty truck, the Profia Z FCV, which goes on sale in Japan from 24 October 2025.
Jointly developed with Toyota, the Profia Z FCV is Japan’s first mass-produced heavy hydrogen truck and will be built on the same line as Hino’s diesel models at the Koga Plant in Ibaraki.
Hino says the truck combines “environmental performance and practicality” to meet the needs of highway hauliers.
Two Mirai stacks, one 25-tonne truck
Interestingly, under the cab sit two Toyota fuel cell stacks adapted from the Mirai saloon car, plus a lithium-ion buffer battery and AC synchronous motor. Six 700 bar tanks hold 50 kg of hydrogen, reportedly good for a 650 km range in highway use. Refuelling takes around 15-30 minutes, putting it in the same ballpark as diesel.
Hino says the chassis has been redesigned to maximise cargo space and payload, with body options including a dry van and a Trantex wing van. Gross vehicle weight is 25 tonnes with a load capacity of around 11.6 tonnes in dry-van spec.
Tested over 400,000 km before launch
Hino first rolled out a Profia Z FCV demonstrator in 2023, running real-world trials with Asahi Group, Seino Transportation, Yamato Transport, NEXT Logistics and Toyota. Together they clocked up over 400,000 km to validate durability, efficiency and day-to-day operability.
The truck will initially be offered as a full-maintenance lease with fixed monthly costs, and sales will focus on Japan’s official “priority regions” for fuel cell truck adoption: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Hyogo, Fukuoka and Fukushima.
Heavy trucks account for around 60% of freight CO₂ emissions in Japan, making them a critical target for decarbonisation.
Hino is pursuing a “multi-pathway” strategy – using battery-electric, hybrid, and fuel cell powertrains depending on duty cycle – and sees hydrogen as the right fit for long-haul trucks where range, payload and refuelling speed matter.
