Toyota FCHV

The Toyota FCHV is a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development programme of the Toyota Motor Corporation, which was leased to a limited number of drivers in the United States[1] and Japan beginning in 2002.[2] The Toyota FCHV and Honda FCX, which began leasing on 2 December 2002, became the world's first government-certified commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.[3][4][5] Its first commercial fuel cell vehicle was developed from the FCHV-4, which was adapted from the Toyota Highlander body.[6] "FCHV" stands for "Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle". A number of prototypes have been produced, up to the latest FCHV-adv ("advanced").

Not to be confused with Toyota FCV.

Toyota FCHV-4 SUV circa 2007.
Toyota FCHV-adv SUV at the 2010 Washington Auto Show.

History

There are six generations of FCHVs for testing. The FCHV-1, introduced in 1996, was Toyota's first fuel cell vehicle, based on the Toyota RAV4 and equipped with a hydrogen-absorbing alloy storage unit. The FCHV-2, introduced in 1997, was equipped with a reformer to extract hydrogen from methanol. FCHV-3, 4, and 5, introduced in 2001, were based on the Toyota Highlander, and FCHV-3 and 4 were capable of generating four times more power than FCHV-1. The FCHV-4 was the first fuel cell vehicle to be tested on public roads in Japan, and driving tests continued until 2004. The Clean Hydrocarbon Fuel (CHF) reformer of the FCHV-5 was equipped with a newly developed catalyst and heat exchanger to improve acceleration and fuel economy.[7]

As of 2008 the FCHV-adv was available for lease in Japan.[2] The use of the vehicles by government ministries and companies is intended to provide detailed development feedback on the FCHV performance under varied driving conditions.

In 2007 a FCHV was driven 560 km (350 mi) between Osaka and Tokyo on a single tank of hydrogen, proving that a hydrogen vehicle could compete with conventional vehicles for range. In August 2009, Toyota USA announced an estimated FCHV-adv range of 690 km (430 mi) from a 6 kg (13 lb) tank of hydrogen, based on a 331.5-mile (533.5 km) test trip in "real-world" conditions between Torrance and San Diego, California.[8]

FCHV system

The FCHV designs are based on the first generation Highlander SUV, although a bus version is also in development. The powertrain consists of a 90 kW fuel cell supplied from onboard compressed hydrogen tanks, and a nickel–metal hydride battery in parallel. Battery and fuel cell can provide power to the 90 kW driving motors either singly or together. The mechanism is very similar to the Hybrid Synergy Drive in the Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris HSD but with the fuel cell replacing the petrol internal combustion engine, thus minimising greenhouse gas emissions at point of use.

At low speeds the FCHV can run on battery alone, with a range of about 50 km (31 mi).[2] For high performance, such as when accelerating from rest, the fuel cell and battery supply power in tandem. The battery can also charge by regenerative braking, improving overall efficiency.

Hydrogen storage

The 700 Bar (10000 PSI) hydrogen tanks holds 156 liters - enough fuel for a range of 830 kilometers (520 mi) on the Japanese 10-15 test cycle and 760 kilometers (470 mi) on the Japanese JC08 test cycle.[9] Test vehicles on the Japanese 10-15 test cycle average 22.7 kilometers per hour (14.1 mph) with a top speed of 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph).[10] Vehicles on the JC08 test cycle average 24.4 kilometers per hour (15.2 mph) and a top speed of 81.6 kilometers per hour (50.7 mph).[11]

Models

FCHV-1
Main article: Toyota FCHV-1

FCHV-2
Main article: Toyota FCHV-2

FCHV-3
Main article: Toyota FCHV-3

FCHV-4
Main article: Toyota FCHV-4

FCHV-5
Main article: Toyota FCHV-5

FCHV-adv
Main article: Toyota FCHV-adv

FCHV-BUS
Toyota's FCHV-BUS at the Expo 2005

The Toyota FCHV-BUS is a fuel cell bus based on the Hino Blue Ribbon City(KL-HU2PMEE) low-floor bus.

  • 90 kW PEFC Fuel cell stack: twice
  • Motor: AC synchronous 80 kW twice
  • Hydrogen tank: Compressed hydrogen gas 35 MPa / 150 liter, five (version 2002) or seven (version 2005)
  • Passenger capacity: 63 (included 22 seats)

FCHV-BUS demonstrated at Toei Bus (August 2003 - December 2004) and Expo 2005. After Expo 2005, some were lent to bus fleet operators, and also demonstrated in fuel cell events.

FC Bus
Main article: Toyota FC Bus
Toyota FC Bus

The FC Bus uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) in a bus, based on experience with Hino on the Hino Blue Ribbon bus.

In 2015, the bus was lent to Meitetsu Bus for free, as a demonstration that fuel cell buses were practical. It was used on the Toyota City Community Bus Oiden Bus Toyota East Circle Line (Section：Toyotashi Station ↔ Mikawa-Toyota Station).[12] In September on 2015, the bus started running Toyota Oiden Bus Fujioka・Toyota Line (Section：Toyotashi Station ↔ Fujioka Elementary School).

Toyota planned to start sales in 2017 and to have 100 units in Tokyo in time for the 2020 Olympics.[13] The bus was delivered to Toei Bus on lease contract.[14]

SORA
Main article: Toyota Sora
Fuel Cell Bus / Toei Bus
Fuel Cell Bus / Toei Bus

The Toyota SORA bus will be made from 2018. The name "SORA" stands for Sky, Ocean, River, Air, which is the water cycle. It includes a Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) and a collision warning system. It has a capacity of up to 79 people. The seats can also stow automatically when not in use. It also uses LED lights to communicate with other buses and travel in convoys to conserve energy. They can also be used as an emergency power source, having up to 235 kWh (850 MJ).[15]

Project Portal trucks

Toyota started testing two Mirai fuel cells (114 kW each)[16] in a converted Kenworth T680 electric Class 8 semi-trailer truck in the Port of Los Angeles in April 2017 as part of 'Project Portal',[17][18] doing drayage for Toyota.[19] The truck has two motors for a combined 500 kW (670 hp) and 1,795 N⋅m (1,325 lb⋅ft) of torque, a 200 kW[20] 12 kWh battery, and a fixed gear ratio of 15.5:1.[20] It has a range of 320 km (200 mi)[21] determined by the size of the hydrogen tanks. It accelerates (empty) from 0–97 km/h (0–60 mph) in 7 seconds. The motors are mainly powered by the fuel cells rather than from the small battery.[22]

Toyota added a terminal tractor to the project in 2019.[23] The project was updated with a 480 km (300 miles) truck in 2020.[24]

Cultural impact

Prophets of Science Fiction

The FCHV is featured in the Jules Verne episode of the Science Channel program Prophets of Science Fiction. Some measure of credit is given to Jules Verne in the episode, for helping to inspire the idea.

See also

References
  1. "Toyota FCHV Fact Sheet" (Press release). Toyota USA. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  2. "Toyota to Begin Leasing Advanced Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle" (Press release). Toyota Japan. 29 August 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  3. "Toyota to lease fuel-cell cars to state". The Japan Times. 19 November 2002. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023.
  4. "First Honda FCX Fuel Cell Vehicles Delivered on Same Day in Japan and the U.S." Honda. 3 December 2002. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023.
  5. "Hydrogen-powered Honda achieves world first". The Japan Times. 26 July 2002. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019.
  6. "燃料電池の現状と普及に向けた課題" (PDF). Development Bank of Japan. May 2005. p. 38. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2008.
  7. "11 early Toyota hydrogen fuel cell concepts". Toyota (GB) PLC. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021.
  8. "Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Demonstration Program Expands" (Press release). US: Toyota. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  9. "Toyota FCHV". GAVE. 4 September 2008. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  10. "Japanese 10-15 Mode". DieselNet. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  11. "Japanese JC08 Cycle". DieselNet. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  12. "『ＦＣバス（燃料電池バス）』を運行します！！" [We operate "FC bus (fuel cell bus)"! !!] (PDF). Japan: Michinavi Toyota. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  13. "トヨタ自動車、2017年初めより、燃料電池バスをトヨタブランドで販売" [Toyota Motor to sell fuel cell buses under the Toyota brand from the beginning of 2017] (Press release). Japan: Toyota. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  14. "都営バスで燃料電池バスによる運行を開始" [Start operation by fuel cell bus on Toei Bus!]. Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017.
  15. "Sora Bus". Europe: Toyota. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  16. Halvorson, Bengt (19 April 2017). "Scaling Up: Toyota Putting Mirai Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Tech in a Semi".
  17. Ohnsman, Alan (17 November 2016). "Toyota Adapting Its Hydrogen Car Technology To Power Exhaust-Free Heavy Trucks". Forbes. US. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  18. Ohnsman, Alan (19 April 2017). "Toyota Rolls Out Hydrogen Semi Ahead Of Tesla's Electric Truck". Forbes. US. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  19. O'Dell, John (12 October 2017). "Toyota's Heavy-Duty Fuel Cell Truck Finally Hits the Road". Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  20. Halvorson, Bengt (21 April 2017). "Electric Semis Won't Just Be Cleaner, They'll Be Quicker [Video]".
  21. "Toyota Opens a Portal to the Future of Zero Emission Trucking" (Press release). US: Toyota. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  22. Esterdahl, Tim (8 September 2017). "A Ride Around the Track in Toyota's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Semi Truck". Retrieved 21 November 2017. Incredibly, the rig returns a 7.0 second 0-60 mph time. it runs off hydrogen fuel cells and the battery is a boost. Our system is to keep the battery as small as possible and really show the scalability of the fuel cell itself. The fuel cell is providing all of that power.
  23. "Toyota Unveils Hydrogen Utility Truck for Port of Los Angeles". Trucks.com. 7 November 2019.
  24. "Toyota Unveils Second Generation Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck". Trucks.com. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020.
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