Originally published June 30 2005
Fuel cell production to come sooner than expected
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Toyota recently announced its intention to have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles commercially available by 2015.
recently announced its intention to have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles commercially available by 2015.
The company has come a step closer to realising this dream through its FCHV, an SUV which has just acquired vehicle type certification in Japan under the local Road Vehicles Act.
This vehicle will be available on a lease basis from July 1 this year.
The FCHV (pictured) has two significant new features.
One is a high-pressure shut-off valve inside the hydrogen tank.
The other is the tank itself, which can store hydrogen at high pressures for 15 years.
Toyota began marketing fuel cell vehicles in December 2002 - 11 were leased in Japan and a further five in the US.
The following year, Toyota revealed its FINE-N (Fuel Cell INnovative Emotion - Next generation) concept car, pictured below, at the Tokyo Show.
This Corolla-sized vehicle featured an ultra-slim fuel cell stack and a 25kW electric motor fitted to each wheel.
Hybrid fuel cell technology has also been used in buses.
A prototype bus operated within the Tokyo metropolitan system between August 2003 and December 2004, and eight FCHV-BUS vehicles are currently transporting visitors within the 2005 World Exposition at Aichi in Japan.
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