Toyota has officially confirmed it will launch a hydrogen fuel cell car in Japan, USA and Europe in 2015, as previewed by the Honda FCV Concept.
The Toyota FCV (pictured) previews Toyota’s 2015 production FCEV
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Toyota took the lead with hybrid technology a decade ago, and that’s gone from an expensive punt on new technology to a mainstay of Toyota production, with approaching 15 per cent of Toyotas now sold offering some degree of hybrid technology.
And it seems that Toyota are prepared the bite the bullet to get hydrogen fuel cell cars accepted by the motoring public and, despite initial estimates that a Toyota FCEV would cost in the region of £100k, it seems Toyota are planning to pitch the price in competition with current BEV cars.
Based on the Toyota FCV Concept we saw just a few months ago at the Tokyo Motor Show, the new Toyota FCEV will have a range of around 435 miles and could cost below £40k as Toyota work to develop a public appetite for hydrogen-powered cars.
But it will be an expensive road for Toyota, because even though they have cut the costs of a fuel cell by as much as 70 per cent from a few years ago, much of the price Toyota look set to charge will be eaten up just by the cost of the hydrogen fuel cell.
But costs will reduce over time, and if this foray in to a real-world production FCEV sees a proper hydrogen refuelling infrastructure start to develop, we could see hydrogen-powered cars become the norm in the next decade, relegating BEVs to use as local delivery vehicles and taxis.
Mike Morris says
Video below of what is happening in California at municipal wastewater treatment plants using fuel cell technology to produce 3 value streams of electricity, hydrogen and heat all from a human waste! This is pretty impressive in my opinion for hydro-refueling infrastructure.
“New fuel cell sewage gas station in Orange County, CA may be world’s first”
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=8310315
“It is here today and it is deployable today,” said Tom Mutchler of Air Products and Chemicals Inc., a sponsor and developer of the project.
2.8MW fuel cell using biogas now operating; Largest PPA of its kind in North America
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/news-events/news-archive/2012/october/28-mw-fuel-cell-using-biogas-now-operating-largest-ppa-of-its-kind-in-north-america
Microsoft Backs Away From Grid
http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2012/11/20/microsoft-backs-away-slowly-from-the-grid/
Jonas Blomberg says
By concentrating on Southern California, followed Germany, London, Japan and South Korea Toyota and Hyundai can get the FCEVs going at a relatively small cost, despite some losses on the initially sold vehicles. Interviews with happy FCEV owners can be cost efficient advertising. One can hope it leads to an avalanche of global demand.
The recent unrest in Europe increases demand for energy independence. FCEVs (and BEVs) can help there.