The first hydrogen fueling station in the U.S., which opened in 2011, was built adjacent to the Toyota sales and marketing headquarters campus in Torrance, Calif.  Photo courtesy of Toyota.

The first hydrogen fueling station in the U.S., which opened in 2011, was built adjacent to the Toyota sales and marketing headquarters campus in Torrance, Calif. Photo courtesy of Toyota.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and FirstElement Fuel Inc., a hydrogen fueling solutions provider, will partner to support the long-term operation and maintenance expenses of new hydrogen refueling stations in California.

Along with Toyota Motor Credit Corporation, the two companies will develop an integrated and reliable network of fueling stations across California in target market locations approved by Toyota, and consistent with the California Fuel Cell Partnership Road Map.

“The issue of hydrogen refueling infrastructure is not so much about how many stations; but rather, location, location, location,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president, Automotive Operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., in a recent statement.

Toyota also announced that Linde LLC plans to build a hydrogen fueling station on Toyota-owned property in San Ramon, California, which is adjacent to Toyota’s San Francisco Regional Office and Parts Distribution Center. This location would serve local and regional customers, as well as serve as a connector site between the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and the San Francisco Bay Area.

“This is just a start, but it’s the first step in getting to the point in the near future where this technology will move into the mainstream,” Carter said.

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