Toyota develops new fuel cell hybrid

[neshapop]

TOKYO - Toyota has developed a new fuel cell hybrid, a green car powered by hydrogen and electricity, that can travel more than twice the distance of its predecessor model without filling up, the automaker said Friday.

The improved model's maximum cruising range is 516 miles (830 kilometers) compared with 205 miles (330 kilometers) for Toyota's previous fuel cell model, the maker of the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury cars said in a statement.

The FCHV-adv model, which received Japanese government approval Tuesday, will be available for leasing in Japan later this year, Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Kayo Doi said. Pricing and other details weren't available, and overseas plans were still undecided, she said.

Fuel cell vehicles produce no pollution by running on the power of the chemical reaction when hydrogen stored in a tank combines with oxygen in the air to produce water.

The FCHV-adv from the world's second biggest automaker also comes with an electric motor and works as a hybrid by switching between that motor and the hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Toyota's Prius hybrid switches between an electric motor and a standard gasoline engine.

Fuel efficiency in the FCHV-adv was improved 25 percent with better braking and other changes, Toyota said. The new fuel cell vehicle can also start and run in temperatures as low as minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 30 Celsius), it said. Getting a fuel cell to work well in cold weather is a technological challenge.

Major automakers around the world are working on fuel cells and other ecological vehicles, including electric cars and plug-in hybrids, which recharge from an electrical outlet. And consumer interest in alternative fuels is increasing amid soaring gas prices and worries about global warming.

Rival Honda Motor Co.'s revamped fuel cell vehicle for leasing in California is rolling off a Japanese factory floor later this month.

For 2010, U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. is planning a Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric vehicle, while Tokyo-based Nissan Motor Co. is planning electric vehicles for the U.S. and Japan.

Fuel cell vehicles are usually marketed through leasing arrangements since the technology is too expensive for most people to buy in an outright purchase.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/...xUqlGhsfj0kPUI

[johnstarnes]

I hope it looks cool, like that FT-SH sports car concept a while back!

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by neshapop

The FCHV-adv from the world's second biggest automaker also comes with an electric motor and works as a hybrid by switching between that motor and the hydrogen-powered fuel cell.

What a brainiac writer...

Anyone ever see a fuel cell with an output shaft?

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by minnfang

What a brainiac writer...

Anyone ever see a fuel cell with an output shaft?

That was what I was wondering. They've really come up with something good if the fuel cell doesn't need an electric motor to move the car.

[FenwickHockey65]

Little late to the party, toyota?

[windvale]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Little late to the party, toyota?

How do you figure that ? Sounds to me like they may have just leap-frogged everybody.

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by windvale

How do you figure that ? Sounds to me like they may have just leap-frogged everybody.

If they are actually leasing completed fuel cell cars in the near future, they will be leapfrogging GM. I wouldn't get my grundies in a bunch over it though. Without a fully deployed hydrogen infrastructure, this is nothing more than an experiment. Given our current refueling situation, what really matters are gasoline or diesel hybrids and fully electric cars. In that area, GM needs to move to the head of the class FAST.

I think GM will be ready and waiting with fuel cell cars when and if the infrastructure ever exists. Future advances in battery technology that allow for practical, electric only cars may make the whole fuel cell discussion moot.

[Dgrocho]

..and so begins the "distance wars"

How far is the Volt expected to go on a "charge?" Meaning fully charged battery and full tank of gas? This Toyota thing is probably the same concept as the Volt really, just swap the ICE for the PEMFC.

wow, ICE sure makes a better acronym...

[Chaddy0122]

Originally Posted by minnfang

Given our current refueling situation, what really matters are gasoline or diesel hybrids and fully electric cars. In that area, GM needs to move to the head of the class FAST.

I think GM will be ready and waiting with fuel cell cars when and if the infrastructure ever exists. Future advances in battery technology that allow for practical, electric only cars may make the whole fuel cell discussion moot.

Screw that, the only way we are EVER going to get off of terrorist oil is to lead the world in Hydrogen, starting TODAY! Our complete gas infrustructre wasn't built overnight, so we can't expect a hydorgen one that fast. Why can't OUR government lead the world in Hydrogen?? Offer the big 3 and whatever AMERICAN companies want to lead the future Hydrogen infustructure with tax incentives. Nobody will move off their dead asses and start this without some help from Washington.

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by Chaddy0122

Screw that, the only way we are EVER going to get off of terrorist oil is to lead the world in Hydrogen, starting TODAY! Our complete gas infrustructre wasn't built overnight, so we can't expect a hydorgen one that fast. Why can't OUR government lead the world in Hydrogen?? Offer the big 3 and whatever AMERICAN companies want to lead the future Hydrogen infustructure with tax incentives. Nobody will move off their dead asses and start this without some help from Washington.

Screw what? You just made my point. GM (or any other car maker) is not in a position to dictate that a hydrogen refueling infrastructure be deployed in this country. It would be suicide to develop and produce any real quantities of fuel cell vehicles without one.

Screw hydrogen. My ultimate answer is fully electric cars recharged with electricity from nuclear, solar, and wind. It will happen as soon as battery technology is up to the task.

[WishIhadatruck]

E-Flex will make GM's transition to fuel cells pretty easy when the time is right. They will already have vehicles in production that have pure electric drive systems which is what is needed for a fuel cell car. The Chinese Volt was fuel cell powered instead of having an ICE powered generator. E-Flex makes the power source pretty flexible. Again, cost is a big problem with the fuel cell.

It was no coincidence that China got the fuel cell Volt concept. The Chinese government seems much more interested than the US in making a hydrogen economy.

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by minnfang

My ultimate answer is fully electric cars recharged with electricity from nuclear, solar, and wind. It will happen as soon as battery technology is up to the task.

You might be right. A hydrogen production facility, a hydrogen tank and a fuel cell all together accomplishes the same thing a battery does. Which ever way is cheaper and more efficient will win.

[Z16monte]

Originally Posted by Chaddy0122

Screw that, the only way we are EVER going to get off of terrorist oil is to lead the world in Hydrogen, starting TODAY! Our complete gas infrustructre wasn't built overnight, so we can't expect a hydorgen one that fast. Why can't OUR government lead the world in Hydrogen?? Offer the big 3 and whatever AMERICAN companies want to lead the future Hydrogen infustructure with tax incentives. Nobody will move off their dead asses and start this without some help from Washington.

Better figure out how to make hydrogen cheaply enough to be competitive with gasoline before you worry about distributing it.
Ed

[big swede]

Hydrogen is a joke right now. It takes more electricity to propel a car 500 miles on "Hydrogen" than it does if you would just put that electricity into a battery pack. Maybe in the future when new techniques are developed to drop the electricity it takes to create Hydrogen in the first place you will then see more Hydrogen powered vehicles. For now it's much more efficient to just put the electricity into a battery pack instead of using it to create Hydrogen.

Let's get the Electric vehicle with range exenders nailed first and then start trying to invest other resources for different applications.

[johnstarnes]

Electrolysis is no longer needed to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.....naturally occuring algae and bacteria have been discovered that do it readily, with sunlight the energy source. Plus Honda has already created solar powered parking garages that split water while you are parked to refill hydrogen right there.