Toyota rolls out world’s first mass market fuel-cell car

[TaiShang]

Toyota rolls out world’s first mass market fuel-cell car
Source:AFP-Global Times Published: 2014-11-18 23:18:02

Toyota said Tuesday it would start selling the world's first mass market fuel-cell car in Japan next month and elsewhere in 2015, in what its top executive called an industry milestone.

The four-door Mirai sedan, powered by hydrogen and emitting nothing but water vapor from its tailpipe, will launch with a price tag of 6.7 million yen ($57,500) in Japan, where Toyota expects to sell 400 units next year.

The car - whose name means "future" in Japanese - will hit the US and some European markets, including the UK, Germany and Denmark, in 2015, it said.

"We are at a turning point in the automotive industry," Toyota Chief Executive Akio Toyoda said in a video message on the company's website.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker by output, hopes to sell more than 3,000 units of the car by the end of 2017 in the US, and up to 100 annually in Europe.

Toyota's hybrid gasoline-electric offerings, including the Prius, have sold more than 7 million units since their launch in 1997.

But a limited driving range and lack of refueling stations have hampered development of fuel-cell and all-electric cars, which environmentalists say could play a vital role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming.

The Mirai can travel about 650 kilometers (400 miles) without refueling, some three times further than an electric car, and its tank can be filled in a few minutes like gasoline engine vehicles, Toyota said.

Fuel-cell cars are seen as the Holy Grail of green cars as they are powered by a chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, which produces nothing more harmful than water.

Japanese automakers, including Toyota's rivals Honda and Nissan, have been leaders in the green car sector. The country's seven major manufacturers reportedly plan to spend a record $24 billion to research the sector this year.

Toyota rolls out world’s first mass market fuel-cell car - Global Times

 

[thesolar65]

Kitna deti hai?? In English how much does it compare it with Petrol or diesel cars? What is the cost of travel per kilometer in dollar?

 

[Aepsilons]

This is wonderful to hear! Hmm, might be tempted to lease this in the future.

 

[TaiShang]

Images and videos here

Toyota has unveiled the first mass-market hydrogen fuel cell car, which will start selling in Japan next month and in the US and Europe in 2015.

The four-door sedan, called the Mirai, which means future in Japanese, will emit only water vapor, but it’s not cheap at 6.7 million yen ($57,000). It’s designed for a niche market and Toyota is only expecting to sell 400 of them next year.

Although by the end of 2017, Toyota hopes to have sold 3,000 of them in the US and about 100 per year in Europe.

Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker, is hoping to make “tens of thousands” of units over the next decade.

The Mirai will be capable of travelling up to 650 kilometers without refueling, three times further than a traditional electric car, while its hydrogen tanks can be filled up in a few minutes like petrol or diesel vehicles so there is no need for a lengthy recharging of batteries. The vehicle emits no exhaust fumes, although fossil fuels are used to produce hydrogen and then to compress it.

Mitsushisa Kato, executive vice president of Toyota, said that Mirai marks a milestone in motoring technology.

"Mirai symbolizes two major innovations. First, this is an innovative way to solve global environmental and energy problems... and second, this innovation will help usher in a hydrogen-based society," he said at a presentation in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda said in a video message on the company’s website: “We are at a turning point in the automotive industry.”

Fuel cells cars like the Mirai are powered by hydrogen and oxygen and produce only water vapor as a byproduct.

It is the Japanese that are the world leaders in the green car sector, including Honda and Nissan. The country’s seven car manufacturers are reportedly planning to spend up to $24 billion in research in the field this year alone.

Honda, one of Toyota’s biggest rivals, also aims to launch a commercial fuel cell vehicle in March 2016. Honda already makes the FCX Clarity, a fuel cell car produced on a small scale for a few markets.

Toyota says it will attempt to bring the price down for hydrogen-powered vehicles and up the number of hydrogen refueling stations to 100 next year. At the moment there only a few dozen hydrogen filling stations in the world, found in developed countries.

Toyota already produces the fast-selling and successful Prius, a petrol-electric hybrid, which has already sold over 3 million units since its introduction in 1997.

“It was a big challenge when we first introduced the Prius, or hybrid car, in 1997. And it’s an even bigger challenge this time because there is no infrastructure, and we’re trying to lead,” said Yoshikazu Tanaku, the deputy chief engineer for Toyota’s next generation vehicle department, The Guardian reported.

Toyota unveils game changer hydrogen-powered car — RT News

 

[Bombaywalla]

It's all good, but I hope Toyota starts to think about safety in its cheap-as-chicken-feed Etios and Liva models sold in India. They're among the worst cars out there in terms of safety, along with the tin can of an automobile, the Datsun Go.

SAFETY FIRST SAFETY FIRST SAFETY FIRST, Toyota!

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Very cool tech...only 153hp though.

 

[Musafir117]

It's damn cool and it's our Mirai but expensive:grin: hope someday a normal person also can buy this type.

 

[tranquilium]

Kitna deti hai?? In English how much does it compare it with Petrol or diesel cars? What is the cost of travel per kilometer in dollar?

The range of 400 miles is on par (even a bit more) than gasoline powered small car. Comparison with diesel vehicles is not applicable since most diesel vehicle are much bigger.

Keep in mind that cost of the vehicle vary from country to country, depending on tariff and taxes. $57,500 is more expensive than most sedans and comparable to a high end luxury one.

It is long recognized that fuel-cell based vehicle is significantly cleaner than combustion based ones. Though so far energy conversion efficiency and fuel handling has made designing the vehicle difficult. The key factor here would be life-span of the fuel cell and the fuel cost, but nonetheless it is a big step forward.

 

[tranquilium]

Very cool tech...only 153hp though.

It is a fuel cell vehicle. The energy conversion process is much cleaner than combustion, but does not produce nearly the same amount of power.

 

[thesolar65]

The range of 400 miles is on par (even a bit more) than gasoline powered small car. Comparison with diesel vehicles is not applicable since most diesel vehicle are much bigger.

Keep in mind that cost of the vehicle vary from country to country, depending on tariff and taxes. $57,500 is more expensive than most sedans and comparable to a high end luxury one.

It is long recognized that fuel-cell based vehicle is significantly cleaner than combustion based ones. Though so far energy conversion efficiency and fuel handling has made designing the vehicle difficult. The key factor here would be life-span of the fuel cell and the fuel cost, but nonetheless it is a big step forward.

No, I mean lets keep aside the initial cost and all that. Just a hybrid Car, an electric car, a fuel cell car, a gas (petrol/diesel) car goes for 100 kms each. Which car will incur more running expenditure and which one will less?

 

[xyxmt]

It's all good, but I hope Toyota starts to think about safety in its cheap-as-chicken-feed Etios and Liva models sold in India. They're among the worst cars out there in terms of safety, along with the tin can of an automobile, the Datsun Go.

SAFETY FIRST SAFETY FIRST SAFETY FIRST, Toyota!

auto companies follow the safety laws of a country, India should make better saftey laws and Toyotas will follow.

 

[Bombaywalla]

auto companies follow the safety laws of a country, India should make better saftey laws and Toyotas will follow.

Agreed. India is in the process of doing just that. Starting sometime next year, airbags and ABS will be made part of standard equipment on all Indian made automobiles across all variants. Two wheelers will have to come fitted with ABS as well.

Toyota is a global automaker that one would think, would be conscientious towards safety in general, whether in India, Pakistan, or Japan. Safety should be universal, which it sadly still isn't.

 

[tranquilium]

No, I mean lets keep aside the initial cost and all that. Just a hybrid Car, an electric car, a fuel cell car, a gas (petrol/diesel) car goes for 100 kms each. Which car will incur more running expenditure and which one will less?

To be honest, I am not sure and Toyota isn't releasing details. However, personal intuition says factoring in the replacement cost for fuel cell itself, the cost per kilometer goes like fuel cell > hybrid > gas. Gasoline engine is a mature technology and can sometimes function up to a decade without the need for major repair. Hybrid vehicle has additional equipment attached, thus more expensive than gas. Fuel cell vehicle has energy source that has significantly shorter life-span than the gas tank, thus likely to be more expensive.

Electric vehicle is a complicated issue. Electric vehicle is somewhat expensive after factoring the replacement cost of the batteries, but since its actual fuel is much cheaper than gas or hydrogen, its per kilometer cost really isn't that high. The main issue with electric vehicle right now is convenience.

 

[bolo]

To be honest, I am not sure and Toyota isn't releasing details. However, personal intuition says factoring in the replacement cost for fuel cell itself, the cost per kilometer goes like fuel cell > hybrid > gas. Gasoline engine is a mature technology and can sometimes function up to a decade without the need for major repair. Hybrid vehicle has additional equipment attached, thus more expensive than gas. Fuel cell vehicle has energy source that has significantly shorter life-span than the gas tank, thus likely to be more expensive.

Electric vehicle is a complicated issue. Electric vehicle is somewhat expensive after factoring the replacement cost of the batteries, but since its actual fuel is much cheaper than gas or hydrogen, its per kilometer cost really isn't that high. The main issue with electric vehicle right now is convenience.

Yup ask any owner of hybrid...they are pain in the *** to fix because you can't bring it to Joe's Garage but back to dealer.