When the Toyota FCV Concept was showcased at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota announced that it would be entering production in 2015. Well, since we’re less than half a year away from 2015, it’s about time we saw prototypes of a production version of the FCV Concept on the road.
We can see that the production Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan will keep a lot of the concept car’s styling. This design has been many years in the making, first seen in 2011 in the form of the Toyota FCV-R concept. There are vertical daytime running lights integrated into the flared bumper, which appears to have swapped the concept’s mesh grille to a new design that features horizontal bars.
This new car – rumoured to be called the Mirai, which is Japanese for future – is not a hybrid, despite its Prius-like roofline. It uses an electric motor, but the difference is what powers those motors – not batteries, but hydrogen. The powertrain features Toyota’s proprietary compact and lightweight fuel cell stack and a pair of high-pressure (70mPa) hydrogen tanks, located beneath the four-seater body. It can go 500 km on a full tank of hydrogen.
This isn’t the first hydrogen fuel cell car to come out of a Japanese automaker. Honda was there earlier with the Honda FCX Clarity, which has had an experimental leasing run since 2008. We managed a quick drive of the Honda FCX Concept back in 2007. It’s pretty much like an electric car that you can refuel with hydrogen in a jiffy instead of having to charge it for a few hours.
Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan (FCS)
Toyota FCV Concept
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AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments on the blog post express mixed opinions about the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, with some criticizing its awkward design and high price, and others appreciating the technological innovation and environmental benefits. Many comments compare Toyota's progress in fuel cell technology to other automakers, highlighting that Toyota has been working on fuel cell vehicles for over a decade, and some reference past models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. There is skepticism about the practicality of hydrogen cars, especially concerning hydrogen production and fueling infrastructure, with concerns about costs and the control of fuel by oil companies. Several comments discuss the future of electric vehicles and hydrogen as the sustainable alternative, while some off-topic remarks involve bashing Japanese cars, Japanese dealerships, or comparing Toyota to Proton and other local brands. Overall, the tone reflects curiosity, skepticism, and some appreciation for the innovation.