Toyota, which is promoting a hydrogen society in Japan, wants to duplicate this model at a new research centre in Finland.

At the beginning of August, the Japanese manufacturer announced its intention to open an R&D centre in connection with its involvement in the World Rally Championship. And it chose the town of Jyväskylä, in the south of Finland, 235 km away from Helsinki. Located in central Finland, it is considered the capital of sport and is notable for its young population.

Hydrogen for energy and mobility in Finland

What does hydrogen got to do with it? We’re getting there. The Japanese industrialist wants this centre to be a showcase for ecology, with wooden buildings and dimensions destined to encourage the protection of nature. It also says that hydrogen will be used for energy generation as well as mobility. This is the scheme that Toyota is applying in a number of Japanese cities.

The TGR-WRT research centre will be used for rally activities. It may also be used for the development of production vehicles. The investment in Finland is being made through the Toyota Foundation.

Toyota ran its Corolla GR on liquid hydrogen on some of the stages of the Ypres Rally in Belgium. It is former driver Jari-Matti Latvala, Toyota’s WRC director, who took the wheel.

Did you like this article about the hydrogen society that Toyota intends to develop in Finland? Do you want to learn more about the Japanese company? Then our latest 2 articles on Toyota should interest you. You can read them here and there. 

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King