Toyota Motor Corp. said Saturday it plans to begin public road tests of a commercial van in Australia next spring, aiming to roll out what could be the world's first vehicle powered by both a hydrogen engine and an electric motor.

The hydrogen-electric hybrid HiAce van was unveiled to the media the same day, with its driving range extended by 20 percent to 250 kilometers compared with when it runs only on hydrogen, the carmaker said.

The test is part of Toyota's "multi-pathway strategy," through which the automaker aims to provide a range of green vehicles, including gasoline-electric hybrids, hydrogen-powered fuel cells and battery electric vehicles, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and cater to local market demands. Hydrogen-engine vehicles emit nearly zero CO2.

Toyota has been testing hydrogen-engine vehicles in Australia since last year but decided to trial a hybrid model with an electric motor to address challenges like limited range and a shortage of hydrogen stations.

"It's true that our customers have been struggling with not having a hydrogen station close by, as well as with the high cost of fuel," Toyota Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima said.

"We will grit our teeth and persevere" to make a hydrogen-based society a reality, he added.