Electric-only cars might be envogue right now, but Toyota is pursuing another eco-friendly alternative to gasoline engines with its FCV concept. The company is now claiming the vehicle will be available sometime in 2015.
The FCV borrows the same Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the Toyota Prius, but swaps out the petrol engine for a hydrogen fuel cell. And while hydrogen refill stations are few and far between right now, Toyota is hoping that tiny downside will be outweighed by the benefits of a fuel cell vehicle: including its estimated 480km range on a single fill-up, and water vapor being the most harmful thing the FCV emits. And anyone who deals with constant power outages might be intrigued that on a full tank of hydrogen gas the FCV can power a house for a full week.
Toyota is still being quite on pricing, numbers, and an exact date of availability for the FCV concept (or whatever they end up calling the vehicle) but it’s now working closely with the University of California Irvine’s Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP) to help map out the best spots to install hydrogen fuel stations across the state so that early adopters will actually be able to use their vehicles. [Toyota]
