Toyota reveals Corolla Cross hydrogen concept with GR Corolla engine

Toyota is again demonstrating it wants to offer a choice of powertrains with the Corolla Cross H2 Concept.

The small SUV packs the same 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine used in the Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch (due in Australia next year) and mates it with a high pressure hydrogen tank borrowed from the Mirai.

For context, the Mirai can store 141-litres of hydrogen, has a 1.2kWh lithium-ion battery, and a rear electric motor producing 134kW of power and 300Nm of torque with a 1900 kilogram kerb weight. It can travel up to ​​650 kilometres from a full tank on the WLTP testing cycle.

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The result is a hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) Corolla Cross which can still seat five people and have luggage space to spare. Toyota will start winter testing soon in northern Japan.

Interestingly, the concept also shows off tweaked design details, including the horizontal LED daytime running lights at the top of the headlight cluster (instead of the middle); a crossbar running across the grille; revised lower bumper with the fog lights placed higher than before; unique alloy wheels; Citroen-like bumps on the side skirts; silver roof rails; and smoked tail-lights.

We haven’t seen these in the Australian nor Japanese spec versions of the Corolla Cross.

The pictures also depict a manual gear shifter, likely a remnant from the GR Corolla.

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Toyota says the Corolla Cross H2 Concept is around 40 per cent “along the path to commercialisation” and argues hydrogen combustion can leverage existing internal combustion engine technologies, offer quicker refuelling times, and reduce the need to use limited materials like lithium and nickel.

The concept was unveiled as part of the Japanese carmaker’s pledge to be carbon neutral in Europe by 2040 by introducing six pure battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) under the bZ nameplate by 2026.

In Australia, Toyota currently sells the Mirai FCEV to commercial customers and is expected to release the bZ4X SUV as its first BEV next year.

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"When we talk about being carbon neutral, a lot of people say all we have to do is use battery-electric vehicles because they don’t emit any CO2 – but the truth is it’s not that simple,” Toyota Australia vice-president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley told Wheels last year.

“BEVs or battery-electric vehicles are just one part of the solution.

"[But] Australia is a big country. We’ve got diverse customer needs and our success has been built on providing high-quality durable and reliable vehicles that are fit-for-purpose in every corner of this country.

“Ultimately, it’s the market that will decide, and our goal is to provide options to support those choices."