Automotive

First Toyota fuel cell bus rolls into Tokyo

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Toyota's FC Bus runs on hydrogen and can supply electricity in the event of a natural disaster
Toyota
Toyota's FC Bus runs on hydrogen and can supply electricity in the event of a natural disaster
Toyota
The FC Bus is the first of a fleet of 100 purchased by the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Toyota

Toyota has delivered the first of its Fuel Cell (FC) buses to the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that will run on a regular route starting in March, with a second bus delivery that month. The 76-passenger green bus uses two solid polymer electrolyte Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) units cranking out 114 kW each and is the first of an anticipated fleet of 100 such vehicles being deployed in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The FC Bus' fuel cell system was originally developed for Toyota's Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and has 10 high-pressure tanks holding 600 liters (132 gal) of hydrogen at around 700 bar (690 ATM) of pressure that feed the fuel cell, which, in turn, charge the nickel-metal hydride batteries. These power two electric motors making a combined 226 kW (303 bhp) of power and 670 Nm (494 lb.ft) of torque.

In addition to carry passengers along a Toei route in Tokyo, Toyota says that the bus can provide 235 kWh of electricity to run equipment in the event of a natural disaster. The new bus is also claimed to be more efficient than internal combustion engines, has no carbon dioxide or Substances of Concern (SoC) emissions during operation and complies with non-step standards for easy boarding and exiting by the elderly and young children.

Source: Toyota

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3 comments
JimFox
Hydrogen fuel cells have many of the problems existing in ICE's- producing, storing, compressing, distributing the hydrogen plus the safe refuelling of the vehicles. Flow Cells, on the other hand, show far more promise, using safe, non-toxic 'salted' positive/negative charges collected by a dividing diaphragm. Refuelling is similar to petrol but uses twin hoses to refill each fluid reservoir. Range has been shown to exceed 1000km in a car and presumably in larger vehicles, even more. Research on the chemical composition of the liquids is progressing to a point where energy density limitations will be overcome, reducing the quantities needed. IMO this is the future of EV's; batteries will still be needed but in far lower numbers than presently. L-ion is by no means a 'clean' process & battery mass will always be a problem.
swaan
Fuel cell vehicles seem like tech demos so far. Can you even buy, not just lease one?
LarryWolf
Honda and Toyota continue to press for FCEVs and to make backseat the production of BEVs. Bad choice HOnda and Toyota I will never buy another of your cars and neither will any of my family tree. We detest your attitude towards BEVs and SEVs--the future of automotion in America where terrorism will always be a problem and infrastructure requirements and energy wasted in conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen or hydrogen from electrolysis of water is wasteful. Solar and renewables are the wave of the future get used to it .