Jul. 01, 2002
Toyota Advances Marketing of Fuel Cell Passenger Vehicle
-Limited Numbers to Be Offered in Japan & U.S. From the End of This Year-
| TOKYO ― TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today it plans to start limited marketing of a fuel cell hybrid passenger vehicle model in Japan and the United States from around the end of this year, earlier than originally planned. The moved-up launch reflects the successful outcome of a full year of Japan/U.S. public-road testing of the FCHV-4―a fuel cell hybrid vehicle (FCHV) prototype―and TMC's response to society's expectations for cleaner mobility solutions. The coming model will be a newly developed FCHV featuring conventional-vehicle-like performance based on improvements to the FCHV-4's reliability, cruising distance, functionality and other aspects. Lowering costs, improving performance at freezing-and-below temperatures and other issues remain, however, meaning that units of the vehicle, to be available by lease, will only be offered to such entities as government bodies, research institutions and energy-related companies. Although terms have yet to be determined, TMC plans to lease about 20 units over the course of a year in limited areas in which TMC has confirmed the availability of hydrogen supply and after-sales service. TMC began testing the FCHV-4 on public roads in Japan in June 2001 and the U.S. in July of the same year. Units of the FCHV-4 have covered a cumulative 110,000 kilometers on and off the test track, providing valuable insight toward the commercialization of FCHVs. TMC plans to continue the tests. TMC believes test marketing an FCHV will contribute much toward establishing standards and infrastructures for the popularization of fuel cell vehicles and toward greater social acceptance of hydrogen as a fuel. TMC expects full-scale commercialization of fuel cell vehicles to begin in 2010 at the earliest, once such standards and infrastructures―as well as a social foundation for deepening the public's understanding of hydrogen fuel―are in place. (Please see the attached page for vehicle specifications.) ATTACHMENT |
Specifications for New Fuel Cell Passenger Vehicle (Expected)
| Vehicle | Base Model | Kluger V (Highlander in U.S.) |
| Length/Width/Height (mm) | 4,735 / 1,815 / 1,685 | |
| Weight(kg) | 1,850 | |
| Maximum speed(km/h) | 150+ | |
| Maximum number of passengers | 5 | |
| Fuel cell | Type | Polymer electrolyte fuel cell |
| Output (kW) | 90 | |
| Motor | Type | Permanent magnet |
| Maximum output (kW (PS)) | 80(109) | |
| Maximum torque (N•m (kg•m)) | 260(26.5) | |
| Fuel | Type | Pure hydrogen |
| Storage method | High pressure tank | |
| Maximum storage pressure (MPa) | 35 | |
| Secondarybattery | Type | Nickel-metal hydride |
