CPB Contractors, a member of the CIMIC Group, has successfully completed a pilot program for Toyota's prototype HiAce van powered by a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE). The month-long trial involved substituting one of CPB Contractors' diesel-fueled vans with the hydrogen-powered HiAce, which was used to transport workers on major infrastructure projects in Melbourne. Throughout the trial, the vehicle underwent refueling at Toyota's Centre of Excellence in Altona.

Benita Husband, engineering director at CPB Contractors, expressed the company's commitment to improving efficiency, performance, and safety, highlighting their longstanding partnership with Toyota. The pilot program proved beneficial not only for CPB Contractors and Toyota but also for the wider industry. As CPB Contractors explores sustainable solutions for their fleet, hydrogen is seen as an important part of the equation.

Feedback from CPB Contractors' plant and asset team and the drivers involved in the trial was overwhelmingly positive. The Hydrogen HiAce performed comparably to conventional vehicles, demonstrating no limitations in terms of speed control or braking. Given the similarities to CPB Contractors' current fleet, the trial indicates that the Hydrogen HiAce is a viable alternative. The success of the pilot highlights the potential of sustainable vehicle models, suggesting that with proper hydrogen supply and distribution, they could present a practical commercial solution for reducing petrol and diesel consumption, as well as CO2 emissions, in the future.

Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia's vice president of sales and marketing, emphasized that the pilot program with CPB Contractors aligns with Toyota's global approach to decarbonization. The real-world conditions in which the prototype Hydrogen HiAce was tested by Australian companies will provide valuable feedback for further development, with the goal of eventually commercializing vehicles powered by hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines.

CPB Contractors reports that the hydrogen-fueled combustion engine technology has maintenance and refueling requirements similar to petrol and diesel vehicles. It also offers higher operational efficiency compared to electric vehicles, which require charging infrastructure and longer recharge times.

With over 60 major projects across the country, CPB Contractors actively seeks innovative technologies and solutions to reduce their carbon footprint, improve efficiencies, and support environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets for their projects, clients, and business.