Powered by the same Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the company’s Prius, the Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) will combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate the electricity needed to drive the car. The vehicle’s forced chemical reaction produces water as a byproduct, replacing the noxious exhaust typically associated with automobiles.
According to Toyota’s estimates, the FCV will be capable of driving some 483km (300 miles) on a single tank and refueling the ecofriendly car will take as little as three minutes. Between now and 2015 Toyota plans to build 20 hydrogen fuel stations, expanding that number to 40 by 2016. While most of these locations will be in Southern California, Toyota might consider investing in hydrogen infrastructure the same way Tesla has with electricity. If they were to do so, the FCV will have limitless range in short order.
While no price tag has been attached to the FCV, those “in the know” project the car will cost anywhere from $50,000 – $100,000. Toyota’s senior vice president Bob Carter told a mass of listeners at CES, however, "We estimate a 95% cost reduction for the powertrain and fuel tanks of the vehicle we will launch in 2015 when you compare that to what it cost for us to build the original Highlander Fuel Cell in 2002."
Although Toyota’s initial roll out will be limited to California, the company states that its ambitions are global and worldwide distribution will occur in a multistage process. If the company can bring its vision for hydrogen fuel cell cars to pass, it could lead to a massive reduction in worldwide carbon emissions. And that would be awesome!
Image Courtesy of Toyota