Toyota has brought two custom Tundra concepts to the
SEMA Show this year, one of which is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck that
robotically makes pizza. It’s called the Tundra Pie Pro and it features the same powertrain as
the Toyota Mirai. It can power itself and the entire bed-mounted
kitchen via the hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain. Another major
mechanical change besides the switch from a gasoline engine to a hydrogen fuel
cell electric powertrain is the truck’s conversion to front-wheel-drive.
The project is based on a Tundra SR5 that was torn
down to a bare rolling chassis and then reassembled from the ground up. A
collaboration between Toyota and Pizza Hut, the Tundra Pie Pro is a fully
automated, mobile kitchen that can bake a fresh pizza in 6-7 minutes after
receiving the order.
The two robotic arms you see in the truck’s bed can
bake, cut, box and hand the pizza to the customer. The process begins when the
first robotic arm opens the refrigerator and removes the selected pizza. It
then places it on the oven conveyor and returns to close the refrigerator door.
The pizza is then transported through a high-speed ventless oven.
After it’s baked, a second robotic arm on the far
side removes the finished pie and places it on the cutting board. It then
proceeds to divide it into six identical slices, box it up, and deliver it to
the customer waiting on the side of the Tundra.
The other Tundra truck concept on display at SEMA is
a vehicle built to conquer the great outdoors. The pickup features an array of
custom equipment to suit Kevin Costner’s passion for nature and active outdoor
lifestyle.
That’s because the truck is the personal project and
playtime vehicle of the Academy Award-winning actor and director. Based on a
Platinum model, the truck packs many modifications.
Those include custom-fabricated front and rear
bumpers that integrate Warn winches and Rigid Industries lighting, as well as a
4.5-inch suspension lift with Fox coil-overs and shocks. The actor’s pet
project also comes with a two-piece roof rack affixed to the ARE V Series bed
shell.
Mind you, this isn’t just a show truck. The Tundra
has already seen real-world action on fishing excursions at Kevin Costner’s
Aspen ranch. In addition, it accompanied him to Montana for the on-location
shooting of the second season of “Yellowstone.”