Toyota/Hino Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus 1st to Obtain Ministry Certification

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) and HINO MOTORS, LTD. (Hino) announced today that their FCHV-BUS2 has become the first fuel cell-powered bus to be certified for use on Japanese public roads by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Field tests of the FCHV-BUS2―a low-floor, easy-access commuter bus that runs on gaseous hydrogen stored in high-pressure tanks―are due to begin shortly.

TMC is actively pursuing the development of fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs)―which derive their propulsive force from fuel cells and a secondary battery―and plans to begin limited marketing of an FCHV passenger vehicle in both Japan and the U.S. around the end of this year.

Meanwhile, TMC and Hino have for some time sought to improve the road and transport environment, including urban air quality, vehicle noise and transport efficiency of people and goods. An earlier result of this effort was the FCHV-BUS1, a fuel cell-powered bus based on Hino's non-step commuter bus completed in June 2001. The FCHV-BUS2 is an improvement on the FCHV-BUS1, and four units of the FCHV-BUS2―starting with a version capable of carrying 60 people―have been road-certified.

The FCHV-BUS2, like the FCHV-BUS1, stores its hydrogen in roof-mounted hydrogen storage tanks. But the FCHV-BUS2 has two high-performance TMC-developed Toyota FC Stacks, each with an output of 90kW, for double the performance specifications of the FCHV-BUS1, which has only one Toyota FC Stack. The FCHV-BUS2's motors have a maximum output of 80kW x 2 and maximum torque of 260Nm x 2.

The FCHV-BUS2's hybrid system, in which the secondary battery stores energy regenerated during braking, precisely regulates electric supply to the motor depending on the vehicle's operational status for highly efficient operation.

The planned tests on public roads will be conducted in conjunction with related projects promoted by the Japanese government and other entities. Through these tests, TMC and Hino hope to verify the performance of their proprietary fuel cell system, collect various performance data from the viewpoint of commuter bus operation and enhance development toward commercialization.