Isuzu to delay launch of fuel cell truck developed with Honda beyond 2027

Isuzu Motors Ltd. will delay the planned 2027 launch of a large-sized hydrogen fuel cell truck jointly developed with Honda Motor Co., sources close to the matter said Sunday.

While it is unclear how long the launch will be delayed, Isuzu is concerned about the slow rollout of hydrogen refueling stations, the sources said.

The truck maker and Honda also need more time to clear technical hurdles, such as making the fuel cell system smaller, the sources said.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which generate electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, take less time to refuel than battery electric vehicles, making them more suitable for long-haul trucks.

There are challenges to the widespread adoption of fuel cell vehicles, including the high cost of producing hydrogen and the limited availability of refueling stations. Japan has only about 150 hydrogen stations, many of which are not suitable for refueling large vehicles or do not operate 24 hours.

Honda said in March it would revise its electrification strategy and forecast a consolidated net loss of up to 690 billion yen ($4.3 billion) for the business year that ended that month.

==Kyodo

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