10
NEWS
TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Toyota FCV Concept debut
Hydrogen-powered concept, RHD drop-top 86 and an intelligent oddball are highlights of the Toyota stand at TokyoToyota will present the latest in a long line of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles at the Tokyo motor show later this month. The FCV Concept is the company’s latest in a series of hydrogen fuel cell-powered experimental vehicles, with which Toyota has been experimenting for more than a decade.
It’s one of five concepts the company plans to unveil at the show, two with international watchers in mind and three for the Japanese market.
Also there will be the first RHD version of its FT86 Open, a droptop variant of the 86 coupe at the centre of will-they-won’t-they production rumours.
By Toyota’s own admission, this year’s FCV differs from its predecessors in its kinship to the car the company wants to put into production for launch “around 2015”. And it looks on paper as if it could lay to rest many of the range and charge concerns that have cruelled conventional EV sales to date.
The Japanese giant claims the four-seat, five-door hatch has a range of “at least 500km” and can be refuelled in as little as three minutes. It uses Toyota’s own compact fuel-cell stack drawing its fuel from a pair of high-pressure (70MPa) hydrogen tanks.
For this generation of the technology, Toyota has managed to double the power density of the fuel-cell stack against that used in the Kluger-based last generation FCHV, to 3kW per litre. That makes for a claimed output at the wheels of around 100kW.
It also reflects the company’s keenness to bring down production costs in preparation for a viable price tag when it goes to market. Much of the developmental effort for this iteration has gone into paring down the size of the power plant, helping cut manufacturing costs.
At the centre of the formula is a high-efficiency boost converter. This ups the system’s voltage, allowing the maker to reduce the fuel-cell mass and the size of the drive motor.
Toyota says a full fuel load will allow the system to generate 10kWh – enough power to “to meet the daily needs of an average Japanese house (10kWh) for more than a week”.
Flanking the FCV Concept will be four other debuts. The most out-there is the FV2 (it stands for Fun Vehicle), a concept that appears to marry a recumbent bicycle with Tom Cruise’s futuristic Lexus in Minority Report.
Toyota is using the vehicle to showcase its prowess with voice and image recognition systems. Like a chameleon, the FV2 changes colour with the driver’s mood, according to its perceptions of one’s demeanour and voice.
With no wheel to hold on to, it’s steered bike-style, by leaning into corners and shifting body weight. Much of the rest is done via ‘connected car’ and intelligent transport systems, through which driver and drive systems alike are kept abreast of road conditions and pending hazards.
In place of a normal dash is an “augmented reality” display on the windscreen, combining inputs from a raft of driver-focused sensors with conventional metrics. No details yet on how it will be powered.
For the Japanese market only, Toyota will also debut a “next-generation taxi concept”, alongside petrol and hybrid versions of a seven-seat minivan.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Share this article
Written byJeremy Bass
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todaySell your car with Instant Offer™
Like trade-in but price is regularly higher
1. Get a free Instant Offer™ online in minutes2. An official local dealer will inspect your car3. Finalise the details and get paid the next business day
Get a free Instant Offer
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.