Toyota News: Toyota Bets on Fuel Cell Auto's

[G. David Felt]

Toyota declared in September that it’s watering down its battery electric vehicle (BEV) plans by cutting back the production of the small Toyota eQ (known as the Scion iQ stateside).

You will find some interesting information as Toyota moves forward with Fuel Cell's rather than pure electric auto's.

Sales of Plug in Vehicles, North America (2011 & 2012)

Type - 2011 ------ 2012 (YTD)--(Since 1/1/2011) Cumulative

HEV----268,807---322,516--------591,323

PHEV--8,272----- 25,944----------34,216

BEV----9,966----- 6,802-----------16,768

Source: Pike Research

Most BEVs skirt the edge of a 100-mile range, stretching up to the $100,000 Model S, from Tesla, which can go nearly 300 miles on a single charge. EV advocates and battery manufacturers have long insisted that a battery breakthrough on the horizon will triple battery ranges while drastically reducing battery costs. Regardless of how far the BEV can go on a full battery, however, it still takes hours to recharge instead of the minutes it takes to refill a conventional gas vehicle.

Toyota’s hydrogen vehicles can already achieve ranges and refill times comparable to conventional gas vehicles.

For more info go to:

http://fuelcellswork...ember_181315269

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[z28luvr01]

Spoke to someone last year at a alt fuel car showcase at my job. They had a rep from GM with the Equinox HFCV there. He said that though the Volt has been the big noisemaker for GM, they still haven't dropped the fuel cell program. This is a good move by Toyota, and I hope GM is still pressing forward as well.

[Robert Hall]

Remember GM's 'skateboard' fuel cell architecture from a few years ago? Wonder if development on that has continued in some form...

Edited November 4, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[G. David Felt]

Remember GM's 'skateboard' fuel cell architecture from a few years ago? Wonder if development on that has continued in some form...

I have often thought about this but in a CNG format. It will be interesting to see what the next stepping stone of Fuel becomes.

Think about using CNG or Hydrogen to power a small high compression generator with electric motors at the 4 wheels to drive the auto, marine grade so they can handle getting wet or being submerged if you are pulling a trailor.

I think this is the future of auto's.