Toyota to Sell Fuel Cell Buses in Japan Next Year

Posted on 28 October 2016 by Ken Zino

AutoInformed.com on Toyota Fuel Cell BusToyota Motor Corporation will begin to sell fuel cell buses  under the Toyota, not Hino,  brand early in 2017. The Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to use two of these Toyota FC buses on fixed routes. Toyota initially will introduce more than 100 FC buses, mainly in the Tokyo area, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Toyota says it is aiming to “engage continuously in the diligent development targeted at the expansion of the introduction of the new FC buses from 2018 to contribute to the realization of a hydrogen-based society. Of note in these days of lithium-ion battery fires, Toyota continues to us nickel-metal hydride batteries.

The Toyota FC Bus was developed by Toyota, based on the company’s experience in developing FC buses together with Hino Motors. The FC Bus uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS)that was developed for the Mirai fuel cell vehicle. This technological breakthrough combines hybrid and fuel cell technologies composed of Toyota FC stacks and high pressure hydrogen storage tanks. It has been adopted to provide more energy efficiency in comparison with internal combustion engines, as well as to deliver superior environmental performance with no CO2 emissions or so-called substances of concern when operating.

The bus also uses a high-capacity external power supply system. With a power supply with a 9-kW maximum output, and a large capacity of battery electricity at 235 kWh, the FC bus can be used as a power source in the event of disasters, such as at evacuation sites. Its electricity supply can also be harnessed for home electric use.

The Toyota Group says the use of hydrogen will be a powerful source of energy for the future. Toyota has released the Mirai FCV, while also engaging in the technological and product development of FC buses, fuel cell forklifts, as well as stationary fuel cells for use in homes.

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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One Response to Toyota to Sell Fuel Cell Buses in Japan Next Year

  1. Autocrat says:
    17 November 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Toyota has maintained that hydrogen fuel cell technology could be a zero emission solution across a broad spectrum of vehicle types. The scalability of this technology is enabling the automaker to explore a semi-trailer truck application for a California-based feasibility study.

    The Toyota Mirai will continue to provide a zero emission driving solution for global customers; a heavy-duty truck sized fuel cell vehicle creates a potential zero-emission freight transportation solution for the future.

    Additional details on the study, and the continued evolution of a hydrogen society, will be announced in the coming months.

    Reply

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