Toyota hydrogen HiLux confirmed for Australia in 2028, with a 400 km-plus range target
Toyota plans to add a hydrogen fuel-cell HiLux to its Australian range in 2028. The company announced the local timing when it unveiled the new-generation ute in November 2025; a September 2026 The European update has now added early performance targets of more than 400 km of WLTP driving range and up to 2,500 kg of towing. Those are targets for the developing vehicle, not final Australian figures.
For Australian buyers, the hydrogen model is still two years away. Toyota has not announced local grades, body styles, a sale date within 2028, pricing, hydrogen tank capacity, payload, motor output or a final Australian towing figure. The specifications of today's diesel and battery-electric HiLux variants cannot simply be carried across to the fuel-cell ute.
What has Toyota confirmed?
Toyota Australia said a fuel-cell electric vehicle, or FCEV, would join the new HiLux line-up in 2028. The line-up launched locally with 2.8-litre turbo-diesel versions, while a battery-electric HiLux followed in 2026. Toyota Motor Europe says the FCEV is set for a 2028 launch and has provided the first indicative range and towing targets. Toyota also plans to run a fuel-cell HiLux in the Dakar Rally’s Future Mission 1000 category in 2027.
The European range target is more than 400 km on the WLTP cycle, and the towing goal is up to 2.5 tonnes. Australian figures could change with local specification and certification. The FCEV’s 2.5-tonne target should not be confused with the 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity available on suitable diesel HiLux variants.
How will a fuel-cell HiLux work?
A fuel-cell vehicle stores compressed hydrogen and uses a fuel cell to produce electricity for an electric drivetrain. It refuels with hydrogen rather than recharging a large traction battery from a plug. The Australian Government’s EV definitions explain this process, which is different from burning hydrogen in an internal-combustion engine.
Toyota built earlier hydrogen HiLux prototypes in the UK using technology from its Mirai fuel-cell car. Their tank layout and expected range are useful for development history, not production specifications for the 2028 Australian ute. In particular, an early prototype estimate of around 600km should not replace Toyota’s newer production target of more than 400km WLTP.
The existing Toyota HiLux SR5 listing on AussieMotor covers a diesel grade for buyers comparing today’s ute range. A fuel-cell HiLux would add a distinct powertrain; the diesel’s 48-volt V-Active assistance is not hydrogen propulsion.
Why does refuelling matter in Australia?
Toyota has acknowledged that infrastructure and hydrogen supply must develop alongside fuel-cell vehicles. CSIRO’s hydrogen refuelling station map shows individual sites and their status. A listing does not establish that a facility is open to every private vehicle or compatible with the future HiLux. A business considering the ute should confirm an accessible hydrogen supply along its actual operating routes.
The battery-electric HiLux and future FCEV will depend on different infrastructure. A battery ute needs suitable charging and may suit predictable depot-based work; a hydrogen ute needs access to compatible refuelling. AussieMotor’s EV home-charging guide explains the charging side of that comparison. Hydrogen fuel prices and availability for the 2028 HiLux have not been announced.
Price, warranty and ANCAP: what remains open?
There is no confirmed Australian HiLux FCEV price. Toyota has published no manufacturer price before on-road costs, national drive-away price, postcode-specific drive-away quote, dealer offer, promotional campaign or finance terms for the hydrogen version. Current diesel or battery-electric HiLux prices should not be presented as its price. AussieMotor’s on-road costs explainer sets out the difference between list and drive-away figures.
Toyota’s current HiLux page lists a five-year, unlimited-kilometre new-vehicle warranty for vehicles not used commercially. The Australian warranty for future fuel-cell components and hydrogen tanks, including its commercial-use terms, has not been published. Those details will matter particularly to fleets.
The current HiLux has a five-star ANCAP rating with a 2025 date stamp applying to assessed diesel and battery-electric variants, excluding Rugged X. ANCAP has not extended that rating to a future hydrogen version. The FCEV has yet to launch, so there are also no Australian FCEV VINs to check against a model-specific recall.
Toyota’s 2028 commitment puts a hydrogen HiLux on the Australian horizon. Its usefulness will depend on the certified local towing and payload figures, the purchase and fuel costs, warranty coverage, and where owners can reliably refuel it. Those answers await an Australian production specification. A 400 km-plus