Toyota Develops Improved Fuel Cell Hybrid

[RX400h]

Toyota develops improved fuel-cell hybrid.

The AP (6/7) reported that "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." In a statement Toyota said that "[t]he improved model's maximum cruising range is 516 miles compared with 205 miles for Toyota's previous fuel cell model." The AP noted, "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 added that "[p]ricing and other details weren't available, and overseas plans were still undecided."

The AFP (6/9) added that the "new zero-emission fuel-cell vehicle...can operate in freezing temperatures." Japanese automakers "have been working to create a viable zero-emission car running on fuel cells, which produce electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, leaving water as the only by-product." Toyota engineers succeeded in controlling "the amount of water produced inside the fuel-cell system, which previously interfered with electrical generation at low temperatures."

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Toyota develops improved fuel-cell hybrid.

The AP (6/7) reported that "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." In a statement Toyota said that "[t]he improved model's maximum cruising range is 516 miles compared with 205 miles for Toyota's previous fuel cell model." The AP noted, "The FCHV-adv model, which received Japanese government approval Tuesday, will be available for leasing in Japan later this year."

. . . . . . . snip

To bad Toyota isn't listening to one of its top hydrogen fuel cel consultants, Katsuhiko Hirose, Fuel Cell Project general manager of Fuel Cell System Development Group. He was the first to describe the "5 miricles" it would take to ever get hydrogen up and running.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_...0080409/150240/

Bottom line, ever since the 1970's the industry has said it'll only be another 10years. Today what do they say? Only 10 more years. Worse thing is that the research money (IMO) could better be spent in workable technologies, like plug in hybrids. 'tis a pity.

[lenore]

Honda will launched their fuel cell car in Los Angelos this summer. the car will only be leased, and support for it will be in the Los Angeles area...Sounds good to me....by the way it is a mid sized vehicle.

[jditom]

Toyota develops improved fuel-cell hybrid.

The AP (6/7) reported that "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." In a statement Toyota said that "[t]he improved model's maximum cruising range is 516 miles compared with 205 miles for Toyota's previous fuel cell model." The AP noted, "The FCHV-adv model, which received Japanese government approval Tuesday, will be available for leasing in Japan later this year."

. . . . . . . snip

To bad Toyota isn't listening to one of its top hydrogen fuel cel consultants, Katsuhiko Hirose, Fuel Cell Project general manager of Fuel Cell System Development Group. He was the first to describe the "5 miricles" it would take to ever get hydrogen up and running.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_...0080409/150240/

Bottom line, ever since the 1970's the industry has said it'll only be another 10years. Today what do they say? Only 10 more years. Worse thing is that the research money (IMO) could better be spent in workable technologies, like plug in hybrids. 'tis a pity.

Agree, Hydrogen is a stupid way to go but it will get you to go to the pump every 500 mile etc. And this is why they are pouring so much money into it. The amount of energy that is needed to produce H is crazy for you to just produce electricity in your car to drive your E motors. Makes much more sence to just drive electric cars and make electricity in larger effecient ways. So yes to plugin Hybrids then total EV cars.

Just say no to H and let the oil co die a rapid death.

OK I am off my soap box now.

[RX400h]

You've probably noticed that Toyota is diversifying its research resources, just as most of us do when it comes to the stock market. Why would they put all their eggs in one basket? By pushing the boundaries of technology in each of many areas, they will be ready to provide high-quality and resulting reliability for any one of those areas.

Other manufacturers are doing something similar, but it looks like Toyota is at least one step ahead.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

There's a GREAT article in the Wall Street Jornal, stating exactly what the experts have said about hydrogen since the 1970's. Not only hydrogen experts, but even the exec's at both Toyota AND GM . . . that the hydrogen highway is a giant dead end. I'm no fan of Lutz, but on this rare occasion, he's finally starting to make sense.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1204...NjYwODY0Wj.html

Now think about it ... free research money to waste. Even so, the power players admit they're simply wasting money. Eggs in one basket? Generally true, but hydrogen wastes so much energy, only Daimler hasn't admitted the obvious ... yet. Give 'em time. Toyota often works on 'ideas' ... simply out of fear that they'll miss out. Knowing GM was throwing money at something often causes Toyota to do likewise. This is the case w/ hydrogen.

Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe likely knew this years ago, and once GM admitted the dumbness of hydrogen, it freed Toyota to admit what they knew for quite some time.

[lenore]

Here is Honda fuel cell article:

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/4080113Ne...ion-Green-Cars/

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Here is Honda fuel cell article:

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/4080113Ne...ion-Green-Cars/

That article was outdated when the news broke ... at about the same time, that the companies that were going to "profit" by building the "hydrogen highway" realized it was all a big waste.

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/hydrogenhighway/index

The article was originally posted in the mercury news. Now, what company in their right mind would build cars, when no company in their right mind would invest 20 trillion dollars to build a loosing proposition.

As one hydrogen engineer once put it, "Soon hydrogen will join zeppelins, moving sidewalks, monorails, flying cars, and jet belts on the ash heap of transportation history."

[RX400h]

By the way, I DO see hydrogen-powered buses all the time!

[RX400h]

In other news:

Chicago Transit Authority testing new hybrid buses.

The Chicago Tribune (6/18, Hilkevitch) reports, "The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) on Tuesday began testing a lighter-weight hybrid electric-powered bus that may achieve double the fuel efficiency of current hybrid buses." The Tribune explains that "[t]he key behind the technology is a jetlike turbine that delivers electricity to a battery pack that solely powers the bus." The ECOSaver is said "to get seven to eight miles per gallon (mpg). Regular CTA diesel-powered buses average two to 3mpg, while the CTA's current hybrids get about 4mpg, officials said." The maker of the bus, DesignLine International, said, "The bus' body is built with aluminum composite materials, making it 6,000 to 10,000 pounds lighter than traditional stainless steel buses." The buses "have only 20-gallon fuel tanks, a fraction of the standard 125-gallon tanks on conventional buses."