The 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show witnessed the unveiling of a truly unique vehicle that blended innovation with a touch of fun – the Toyota Tundra PIE Pro. This wasn’t just any Toyota Tundra Truck 2018; it was a zero-emission mobile pizza factory, showcasing the immense versatility and forward-thinking technology of Toyota.
Ed Laukes, Group Vice President of Toyota Division Marketing, perfectly encapsulated the essence of this project: “As the flagship Toyota truck, the Tundra is a workhorse in the truest sense. Its great strengths are its extreme capability and eminent versatility, and what better way to illustrate that than by turning it into something completely unique—a hydrogen fuel cell electric-powered, pizza-making robotic vehicle!” This statement highlights why the Toyota Tundra truck 2018 was chosen as the base for such an ambitious and unconventional concept.
The Tundra PIE Pro was a brainchild of Toyota’s Motorsports Technical Center (MTCI), born from a collaborative effort with Pizza Hut and Nachi Robotic Systems. Starting with a Toyota Tundra SR5 truck 2018, the MTCI team stripped it down to its chassis and rebuilt it from the ground up, replacing the standard gasoline engine with a hydrogen fuel-cell electric powertrain borrowed from the Toyota Mirai. This bold move underscored Toyota’s commitment to hydrogen fuel cell technology, building upon the success of the Mirai, which had already surpassed 4,000 units in sales by September 2018. Furthermore, it previewed Toyota’s ongoing development in hydrogen fuel cell technology for larger vehicles, including Class 8 commercial trucks.
The truck bed of this Toyota Tundra truck 2018 was transformed into “The Kitchen” – a fully self-contained, automated pizza production unit. This remarkable setup included a refrigerator, two computer-guided robotic arms, and a high-efficiency conveyor oven. Impressively, all components within The Kitchen, just like the Toyota Tundra truck 2018 itself, were powered by the hydrogen fuel cell system, maintaining its zero-emission operation.
The pizza-making process was a marvel of automation, taking a mere six to seven minutes from start to finish. The first robotic arm initiated the sequence by retrieving a pizza from the refrigerator and placing it onto the conveyor oven, before carefully closing the refrigerator door. As the pizza traveled through the high-speed ventless oven, the second robotic arm stood ready to receive the finished product. Upon exiting the oven, this second arm expertly removed the pizza, placed it on a cutting board, divided it into six uniform slices, boxed it, and presented it to eagerly waiting customers.
The environmental impact of the Toyota Tundra PIE Pro 2018 was negligible, with water vapor being the only byproduct of its operation, alongside the delicious Pizza Hut pizzas it produced. Marty Schwerter of MTCI noted the unique challenge presented by this project, stating, “We’ve had a hand in putting together all sorts of custom Toyota vehicles over the years, from high-performance racecars to one-of-a-kind show vehicles, but the concept and technology used in this Tundra presented a unique challenge.”
The Toyota Tundra PIE Pro, alongside other Toyota specialty vehicles, was showcased at the Toyota booth (#24800) at the Las Vegas Convention Center from October 30 to November 2, 2018. This innovative concept vehicle served as a powerful demonstration of the Toyota Tundra truck 2018‘s adaptability and Toyota’s leadership in hydrogen fuel cell technology, all wrapped in a fun and engaging package.
