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| Limited Marketing of the FCHV Begins |
FCHV delivered to the Cabinet Secretariat
on December 2, 2002 |
In
November 2002, the TOYOTA FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) became the
first-ever market-ready fuel cell vehicle to be certified by Japan's
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, making limited marketing
possible. In December, Toyota began leasing four TOYOTA FCHVs in Japan
(to the Cabinet Secretariat; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry;
the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation; and the Ministry
of the Environment) and two in the U.S. (to the University of California,
Irvine and Davis campuses).
From the start of its fuel cell vehicle effort in 1992, Toyota has
pursued development of its own fuel cell stack, the core component
of any fuel cell vehicle. This high-performance fuel cell —the Toyota
FC Stack— is a performance leader among vehicular fuel cells worldwide.
In addition to the fuel cell, the FCHV has a secondary battery which
stores energy regenerated during braking. When combined with the hybrid
system which was first put to large-scale application in the Prius,
the FCHV achieves highly efficient operation through sophisticated
energy management.
Toyota has carried out approximately 130,000 kilometers of test runs,
including road testing of the FCHV-4 on public roads in Japan in June
2001 and in the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) in July.
Based on the FCHV-4 prototype, the TOYOTA FCHV is an advanced fuel
cell hybrid vehicle with enhanced reliability and durability and achieves
both high efficiency and luxury car-like quiet and smooth driving
performance. Maximum storage pressure in the hydrogen tanks has been
increased from 25MPa to 35MPa for a longer cruising range. The TOYOTA
FCHV also has a lighter body with the roof, fenders and other components
made of aluminum, one of the best aerodynamic performances in the
world thanks to a flat underbody, and LED brakelights and taillights
for reduced power consumption, meticulously seeking a high level of
efficiency. And it comes with an environmentally considerate air conditioner
that uses CO2 (rather than CFC) as a coolant — the first in a commercially
available vehicle. These features underline Toyota's multi-faceted
approach to the creation of the ultimate eco car.
Before the FCHV can be introduced to the general market, a number
of technological issues (freezing of generated water at low temperatures,
cruising range, etc.) must first be overcome, together with the creation
of a comprehensive system within the community for the development
of hydrogen manufacturing and storage technology, construction of
hydrogen refueling stations and related infrastructure and further
development of regulations and standards.
Note: In May, 2003, Toyota found a small hydrogen leak in one of the TOYOTA FCHV vehicles which were leased in December 2002. On inspection, it was found that the O-ring used to seal the mouth of the high-pressure hydrogen tank was defective. Toyota has implemented countermeasures in all of the six vehicles marketed in Japan and the U.S. |
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| Test Runs of the FCHV-BUS2 |
In
September 2002, four units of the low-floor, large bus FCHV-BUS2,
jointly developed by Toyota and Hino Motors, Ltd., became the
first fuel cell-powered bus to be certified by the Ministry
of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and testing on public
roads began in October 2002.
The FCHV-BUS2 employs the same systems as the TOYOTA FCHV but
stores its hydrogen in roof-mounted hydrogen storage tanks and
has two Toyota FC Stacks and motors, for high output and increased
torque. |
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FCHV-BUS2 |
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| Introduction of Mild Hybrid System into Crown Sedan |
The
mild hybrid system (THS-M) that was newly installed in the Crown
Sedan in October 2002 is based on the 2.0-liter 1G-FE engine
and is comprised of a small motor, which also acts as a generator,
a compact secondary battery suitable for driving this motor,
and a control unit, etc.
The engine is automatically shut down (idling stop) when the
car comes to a stop; when the driver is ready to go again, the
motor is used to propel the car and the engine is also started.
During deceleration and braking, the motor acts as a generator,
thereby converting the kinetic energy that would be lost during
deceleration into electrical energy and recovering it into the
batteries. High fuel efficiency is thus achieved. |
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Crown Sedan with mild hybrid system |
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| Toyota to Supply Basic Hybrid System to Nissan |
| As a result of discussion on the future popularization
of hybrid vehicles, Toyota and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. concluded a
basic agreement in September 2002, which calls for Toyota to supply
basic hybrid system components to Nissan, aiming for a long-term business
relationship of 10 years or longer. |
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| Introduction of CNG-Powered Century |
| The CNG system
that was installed in the Century announced in January 2003
is based on a V-12, 5.0-liter gasoline engine. Through the modification
of major parts, such as the cylinder head as well as the fuel
system, and the adoption of a high-performance catalytic converter,
this CNG system achieves an exhaust emission level that is 75%
lower than the 2000 Exhaust Emissions Standards established
by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This
exhaust emission level was measured based on a Toyota internal
test, and is low enough to qualify the Century as an Ultra Low-Emission
Vehicle. |
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Century |
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| Increasing Popularity of Clean-Energy Vehicles |
In FY2002, Toyota sold 15,575 clean-energy
vehicles in Japan, which accounted for 0.9% of all Toyota vehicles
sold.
The number of hybrid vehicles sold was 15,390 and accounts for approximately
99% of all clean-energy vehicles sold. Since the launch of the Prius
overseas in FY2000, a cumulative total of more than 140,000 hybrid
vehicles have been sold worldwide. |
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•Number of Toyota's Clean-Energy Vehicles
Sold (in Japan)
Total number of units of the Prius exported in FY2002
reached 21,533 units |
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•Clean-Energy Vehicle Series Sold in FY2002
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