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FCEV

Toyota Mirai: Fuel Cell Future Realized

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Toyota turns a new chapter in green driving.

2016 Toyota Mirai
The not-too-distant in the future 2016 Toyota Mirai.

The 2016 Toyota Mirai is making its global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. For the first time since its Prius line was released in the 1990s, Toyota is shifting its green car bets slightly to incorporate a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). “Mirai” is Japanese for future as this advanced model can go 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. Refills take only five minutes to complete; its only emission is water vapor.

Toyota, like several other manufacturers, have been testing fuel cell vehicles for many years. Earlier this year Hyundai leapfrogged the competition by releasing a fuel cell version of its Tucson crossover utility vehicle, a model available in California only.

Toyota, Air Liquide Agreement

Toyota has California in mind too, but plans to sell the Mirai well beyond the Golden State. In advance of the FCEV’s official debut, Toyota North America chief executive officer (CEO) Jim Lentz announced that five northeastern states will get the Mirai in 2016, about a year after California. Lentz said that Toyota is putting the final touches on an agreement it has made with the French industrial gas company Air Liquide, to serve its customers.

As part of the agreement, Air Liquide is developing a network of 12 new hydrogen filling stations spanning from metropolitan Boston to the Greater New York area, in a bid to help owners drive uninterrupted. Thus, the Toyota Mirai will eventually be made available to customers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.

See: Honda Debuts FCV Concept Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Beyond Prius: Toyota Mirai

The Mirai may represent a bigger gamble for Toyota than its original foray into green vehicles. In the 1990s, Toyota began to produce its first hybrid gas electric vehicles dubbing that model Prius, Latinized for “before.” Then, Toyota was busy patenting the process and ensuring that its nickel-metal hydride battery could do the job.

The Prius went on sale in Japan first and arrived in the US six months after the Honda Insight in 2001. Very soon, however, Prius became the standard bearer for hybrids while Honda became mostly an afterthought for people prizing fuel efficient and clean driving.

Honda also got the FCEV jump on Toyota by introducing its FCX Clarity sedan in 2008. That model went to a handful of mostly high-profile clients, including actress Jaime Lee Curtis, but a full-blown production model has been pushed back to at least 2016. And even as Hyundai has the bragging rights for first production FCEV, larger Toyota just may have the resources to expand its market presence faster.

Toyota Mirai Details Forthcoming

There are a lot of things we don’t yet know about the Mirai, details that will most likely be covered in today’s news conference. Toyota may have given us enough news to pique our interest, while remaining mum on the particulars.

Even with its own investment in helping to expand California’s hydrogen filling station network, it is the lack of stations currently online today that will give buyers reason to pause and consider. Indeed, there are 11 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and nine are in California according to the California Fuel Cell Partnership. Some 49 additional stations are under development in the Golden State, but there are no plans in place to expand beyond California except for what will be coming online in the northeast corridor.

Owners of pure electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf have always had access to electrical hookups wherever they have traveled, but FCEV owners must carefully consider their routes or risk becoming stranded. Until or unless federal policy changes, the act of bringing such filling stations online will likely stay in the hands of two industries: automotive and fuel.

Hydrogen-Related Articles

UC Davis Study Shows Confidence in Hydrogen

New Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Priced Near $70,000

Arrived: 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

California Hydrogen Refueling Network Receives Backing From Toyota

Toyota Mirai photo copyright the manufacturer.

Honda Debuts FCV Concept Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

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Honda’s newest green car will debut in 2016.

Honda FCV Concept.

Honda’s next generation fuel cell electric vehicle.

Just as Toyota revealed its own fuel cell electric vehicle in advance of the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda has unveiled its FCV Concept. Like most Honda concepts, the FCV Concept is based largely on a vehicle that the company says will go on sale in Japan in March 2016, followed by markets in the United States and Europe. Honda also made related sketches available to the media to coincide with the debut.

Besides the concept vehicle, Honda also showed a related Honda Power Exporter Concept, representing a concept model for an external power feeding device that enables AC power output from the FCV with a maximum output of 9 kilowatts.

Honda FCV Concept
Honda FCV Concept

Smart Hydrogen Station

Honda also announced the application of a Smart Hydrogen Station (SHS), representing a packaged hydrogen station unit that adopts Honda’s original high-differential-pressure electrolyzer. With it Honda states that it will work “toward the forthcoming hydrogen society under three key concepts – “generate,” “use” and “get connected” – and strive for the early realization of a CO2-free society.”

Honda’s fuel cell electric vehicle involvement dates to the late 1980s. In 2008, the Honda FCX Clarity made its debut, a prototype fuel cell vehicle available that was available for lease by select customers in Japan and in Southern California. However, the FCX Clarity is no longer available to new customers as Honda readies the FCV for production.

Honda FCV Concept
2016 FCV Concept

Honda FCV Concept

Indeed, Honda considers the FCV Concept the direct successor to the FCX Clarity, what will deliver improved performance at a greater cost savings. Honda says the latest fuel cell stack for the concept is one-third smaller than the previous unit with greater output and density. Overall performance is up by 60 percent.

Honda says that the FCV represents the world’s first FCEV with its complete powertrain, including the fuel cell stack, located underneath the hood of the vehicle. Thus, passenger space is not compromised as it is in other models. The FCV Concept seats five adults and Honda says the layout will enable it to be made into multiple body styles once fuel cell adoption becomes more widespread.

Honda FCV Concept

Fueling times of three minutes are possible with the Honda FCV Concept.

Hydrogen Storage Tank

Honda has equipped the FCV Concept with a 70 MP high-pressure hydrogen storage tank that provides a cruising range of more than 700 kilometers (approximately 435 miles). Tank refill time is approximately three minutes, roughly matching the time it takes to refuel today’s gasoline-powered models.

What’s more, Honda says the FCEV features an external power feeding function, something originally tested and improved upon by the FCX Clarity. When combined with an external power feeding device, the vehicle can act as a compact mobile power plant to generate and distribute electricity to the community following a natural disaster.

Along with Toyota and Hyundai, Honda is making a case for fuel cell electric vehicles. A severely limited hydrogen filling station network will temper the roll out stateside, but commitment by the automotive and fuel industries as well as from policy makers could make FCEV adoption easier.

Honda FCV Concept

The concept’s fuel cell stacker is smaller, but more powerful than before.

Honda FCV Concept

This Honda Power Exporter can be useful in a natural disaster.

More Hydrogen News

Toyota Mirai: Fuel Cell Future Realized

UC Davis Study Shows Confidence in Hydrogen

Arrived: 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

California Hydrogen Refueling Network Receives Backing From Toyota

Honda FCV Concept photos copyright the manufacturer.

UC Davis Study Shows Confidence in Hydrogen

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Report offers support for an emerging infrastructure.

Toyota Mirai.
The Toyota Mirai fuel cell arrives on the market in April 2015.

A new study from the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, sees tremendous promise in hydrogen vehicles. The study says that fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) may be just a few years, not decades behind conventional electric vehicles, as the state of California partners with industry to construct much-needed fueling stations.

The Hydrogen Transition

Titled, “The Hydrogen Transition,” the study’s researchers believe that a “convergence of factors” are at work to advance the market introduction of FCEVs, at least in California. Indeed, by clustering the hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure in regional areas, costs will be greatly reduced and an early market established before it is deployed nationally.

Hyundai Tucson FCV
Hyundai’s Tucson Fuel Cell is available for lease in California.

The study noted that government and industry collaboration is already driving down vehicle and hydrogen station component costs as new vehicles come to the market. Several manufacturers have been testing small groups of prototype or production vehicles for years. Just this spring, Hyundai introduced its Tucson Fuel Cell, the first mass-produced model to hit the market. Next year, Toyota will bring its own vehicle to the market and other manufacturers have promised to do the same.

“We seem to be tantalizingly close to the beginning of a hydrogen transition,” said lead author Joan Ogden, professor of environmental science and policy and director of the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways (NextSTEPS). “The next three to four years will be critical for determining whether hydrogen vehicles are just a few years behind electric vehicles, rather than decades.”

Building Out an Infrastructure

hydrogen fueling station

A California hydrogen fueling station built by Toyota.

Besides the steep manufacturing costs that has made FCEV production cost prohibitive, a nonexistent infrastructure has also slowed the transition. Indeed, until this year, there were only 11 fueling stations in the United States, with nearly all of them concentrated in Southern California.

Various public-private partnerships have emerged just this year to build a hydrogen infrastructure in California. That collaboration is reducing design costs, what is giving manufacturers and consumers alike the confidence that hydrogen may take hold.

The Davis researchers have estimated that a $100 to $200 million regional investment would make hydrogen cost effective for up to 50,000 vehicles supported by 100 fueling stations. Reaching that threshold would make hydrogen competitive with gasoline on a cost-per-mile basis, according to the study.

Government Backing in Place

Already, California has made a financial commitment of $46 million to build 28 fueling stations. The governments of Japan and Germany are making similar investments in their respective infrastructures.

This past May, Auto Trends reported that Toyota agreed to invest an unspecified amount of money to help bolster California’s infrastructure. The automaker is also partnering with Linde LLC to build a hydrogen fuel station on its property in San Ramon, just outside of San Francisco.

Hydrogen Deployment Highlights

The 53-page report looked at several other points related to hydrogen deployment.

The researchers concluded that effective public policies will go far in developing infrastructure with consumer incentives paving the way toward acceptance. Just as the current crop of electric vehicles come with benefits such as tax credits, free parking and access to High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, FCEV owners might also receive the same.

A recent boom in low-cost natural gas will have a corresponding effect in keeping hydrogen costs affordable. As for national benefits, the researchers found that the subsequent reduction in air pollution, climate change and oil dependence will outweigh the transition costs by a factor of 10 to 1.

The study also noted that automakers are already heavily invested in FCEVs, having committed more than $9 billion thus far. The US Department of Energy says that its own investments have encouraged private sources to jump in, who have spent 6 to 9 times the government contribution.

Tesla Model S.
FCEVs may pose a challenge to Tesla Motors as its Model S.

FCEV Detractors

Despite the billon dollar efforts to build a hydrogen infrastructure, the industry is not without its detractors. Elon Musk, chairman of Tesla Motors, is a strident critic having called fuel cells “fool cells” and a “load of rubbish” reports Bloomberg. Then again, Musk may have the most to lose if FCEVs catch on as his own company is heavily invested in EVs.

Photos courtesy of the respective manufacturer.

Arrived: 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

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Consumers interested in green vehicles will soon have access to yet another technology: fuel cell vehicles. Though the technology is not new — it has been tested extensively for a number of years — the 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell vehicles that arrived at a port near Los Angeles this week are the first mass produced models to hit the US market.

Sales to Commence Within Weeks

Sales of the new models are expected to commence within the next few weeks. Three Southern California dealers will receive the initial supply.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCEV
A beautiful sight: 2015 Hyundai Tucson FCEV
disembark near L.A.
You can’t buy the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell (FCEV), but you can lease one.

Hyundai’s leasing program is offering the vehicle for $499 per month, a price that includes unlimited free hydrogen refueling and a valet maintenance program just like the one offered with the Hyundai Equus. Customers will also be required to put $2,999 down for this 36-month lease.

“Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles represent the next generation of zero-emission electric vehicle technology, and we’re proud of our leadership role in this important segment of the alternative fuel vehicle market,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, corporate and product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “The range and refueling time of our Tucson FCEV compare favorably with gasoline vehicles, making them a seamless transition from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. We’re excited to provide customers in Southern California a way to transition to a zero-emission vehicle with minimal compromises.

FCEV Interest

Hyundai claims that consumers have shown strong interest in fuel cells, with more than 200,000 hits to its fuel cell microsite. In the Tucson Fuel Cell, Hyundai beats out its competitors by offering the first mass produced hydrogen vehicle of its kinds, beating Toyota, GM, BMW and others to the market. Honda has long had its FCX Clarity available, but only in very small quantities.

Hyundai is touting the Tucson FCEV as an “EV for people on the move.” The company says that it will take less than 10 minutes to fully fill the Tucson FCV compared to three hours for today’s EVs using a 240-volt outlet.

Other benefits of the Tucson FCEV is that it has a long driving range, limited weather impact, zero emissions (it emits only water vapor), instant torque and that it uses a domestic fuel source. FCVs also are quiet and the technology scales to other sized vehicles.

Hydrogen Refilling Station Network

The main challenge for consumers will be refueling. At present, there are just 11 public hydrogen fueling stations in the United States — 9 are in Southern California. Earlier this month the state of California updated its plans for a hydrogen refueling network, nothing that Toyota promised to contribute financial backing.

California’s investment is about $200 million and will push the number of filling stations past 100. No other states have yet to commit to the technology as has California.

Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.

California Hydrogen Refueling Network Receives Backing From Toyota

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Toyota hydrogen fuel cell concept

Hydrogen-powered cars are not some futuristic concept. Prototypes of these vehicles have been on the road for many years particularly in Southern California. Although few in number, fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) availability and growth is about to take off as Toyota, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and others will be bringing production-ready vehicles to the market this year and next.

Building an Infrastructure

For its part, Toyota is collaborating with companies in California to help the Golden State develop a hydrogen refueling station infrastructure. Without a basic infrastructure in place there is little chance that consumers will jump in except for a few early adopters. Even so, pricing for these vehicles is expected to range from about $50,000 to as much as $100,000, well above the average price of a new vehicle ($31,200) and higher than the cost of pure electric vehicles.

As of May 2014, there are just 11 hydrogen stations in the United States, with nine clustered in Southern California. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) and its affiliate Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) announced earlier this month that they entered into a financial agreement with FirstElement Fuel Inc. (FE) to provide financial backing for “the long-term operation and maintenance expenses of new hydrogen refueling stations in California.”

Hydrogen Network Collaboration

Toyota’s precise investment has yet to be determined. The company will first analyze a grant awarded to FE by the California Energy Commission to build a pair of refueling stations in Los Angeles as well as 17 more across the state. The state is expected to approve taxpayer financial backing in June with Toyota following with its own contribution.

Bob Carter, senior vice president, Automotive Operations, TMS stressed that it isn’t the number of stations that will matter, but the location of these operations. In a related press briefing Carter noted that the infrastructure will be built as car manufacturers, energy providers, government and academia cooperate to make it happen.

Carter noted that California is doing its part to build the infrastructure, offering to invest $200 million to build 100 stations with FirstElement doing the work. Said Carter, “The first few years here in California will be a critical period for hydrogen fuel cell technology.” About his company’s participation he said, “…we are showing the future owners of this amazing technology that Toyota is helping to ensure that hydrogen refueling will be available, no matter what car brand is on the hood.”

Toyota also announced that it is working with another company, Linde LLC, to build a hydrogen fueling station on TMS property in San Ramon, California, not far from its San Francisco regional office. Toyota sees that plant as providing a vital bridge between Sacramento, San Joaquin and San Francisco.

Hyundai Fuel Cell Vehicle

It isn’t just in supporting a hydrogen refueling network where manufacturers will be aiding the fuel cell cause. Hyundai, set to introduce the Tucson Fuel Cell crossover this spring, has developed an attractive 36-month leasing arrangement. For $499 per month, lessees can get behind the wheel of a Hyundai FCEV with fuel and maintenance costs included. Another $2,999 is due at signing.

Hyundai says that when the time comes for one of its FCEVs to be serviced they will pick up the vehicle, have it serviced and returned to the customer. That’s the same level of service Hyundai Equus owners already enjoy.

Toyota FCEV

Toyota’s history with FCEVs began in 1992 followed by its first model in 1996. That vehicle came equipped with a proprietary fuel cell stack and a hydrogen-absorbing fuel tank. Notably, its test FCEV came out a full year before its hybrid Prius was introduced in Japan.

In 2002, Toyota began testing a fuel cell hybrid vehicle (FCHV) in California, a prototype that is now in its third generation. Toyota has been partnering with California universities, government agencies and private companies, testing more than 100 of these vehicles.

Toyota’s fuel cell system is much like the current hybrid synergy drive system found in the Prius and its many other hybrid vehicles. Instead of a gasoline engine, a fuel cell stack is used, one that combines with oxygen to produce the electricity to power the vehicle. Its only emission is water vapor.

Toyota has yet to announce pricing for its vehicle. That model has an early 2015 target date, a vehicle with a 300-mile driving range. “This is just a start, but it’s the first step in getting to the point in the near future where this technology will move into the mainstream,” said Carter.

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Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, Inc.

Daimler, Nissan and Ford Tie One On

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Fuel cell partnership to yield vehicles from each company.

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell FCEV.

The move to deeper and more significant collaboration between global automakers took yet another turn this week when Daimler AG, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and the Ford Motor Company signed a three-way agreement to jointly develop a common fuel cell system. The historic accord, announced on Monday, is expected to yield the first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicles from each manufacturer as early as 2017.

In a joint press statement, the three companies stated that the collaboration will significantly reduce investment costs as well as help define global specifications and component standards. The companies also had suppliers and policy makers in mind with an eye toward encouraging the development of a global hydrogen infrastructure.

Fuel Cell Experience

The partner companies each bring FCEV experience to the table. Daimler has been working on the technology since 1994 and has made 180 patent applications to date. A small number of Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL MPVs have been on the market since 2009.

In October 2011, Nissan introduced its next generation fuel cell stack, enabling it to increase power density by 2.5 times over the 2005 mode. That stack also reduced the amount of platinum used by 75 percent and the stacks cost by 85 percent.

The Ford Motor Company developed its first research prototype FCEV in 1999 and rolled out a demonstration fleet of vehicles in 2005 based on the Ford Focus. From 2005 to 2009, Ford participated in a technology demonstration program in the United States as well as in similar programs in Canada and in Europe, with 30 Ford Focus FCEVs used.

How It Works

Toyota Hydrogen Fueling Station
With Toyota backing, a hydrogen fueling station is in operation in Torrance, Calif.
FCEVs are powered by an electric motor, much as electric vehicles such as the Nissan LEAF, CODA Sedan and Tesla S are also powered by electricity. Highly compressed and pressurized hydrogen is kept in a storage tank with a fuel cell stack used to convert hydrogen gas and oxygen into electricity. A power control unit governs the flow of electricity to the electric motor. A high-output battery stores energy made from regenerative braking and also provides additional power to the electric motor.

Lacking at the moment is a comprehensive and national hydrogen fueling station network. As of publication there are only 10 public stations available, nine are on the west coast. Water vapor and heat are the lone byproducts of FCEVs.

Further Collaboration Possible

The three companies will share in the engineering work for both the fuel cell stack and the fuel cell system at several yet to be identified locations around the world. Additional collaboration on other FCEV components may also flow from the agreement.

As for working in concert with rival companies, Raj Nair, Fords group vice president, Global Product Development, may have summed it up best when he said, We will all benefit from this relationship as the resulting solution will be better than any one company working alone.” Look for that sort of reasoning to be applied to every strategic business relationship currently being weighed elsewhere across the auto industry.

See Also — Ford, GM Collaborate Again on Transmissions

California Tax Breaks for Fuel Efficient Vehicles

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The state of California continues to demonstrate leadership in advancing a sustainable energy policy with its Clean Vehicle Rebate Project the cornerstone from which it advances this initiative. Funded by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resource Board, this California Center for Sustainable Energy managed program provides state rebates of up to $2,500 per eligible vehicle. Purchased and leased vehicles are covered under its program.

2014 Honda Accord PHEV.
New: 2014 Honda Accord PHEV.

Clean Vehicle Rebate Project

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project was designed with the sole purpose to encourage and accelerate zero-emission, on-road vehicle deployment and technology innovation.

Eligible vehicles must have been bought new to qualify for a California tax break. Three categories of electric vehicles are covered: battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCEV). Standard hybrids such as the Toyota Prius c and the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid are not part of the project.

Purchase, Lease Requirements

The project applies only to vehicles that were purchased or leased from March 15, 2010. Such vehicles must be ARB certified and are restricted to a gross vehicle weight of up to 8,500 pounds. While this requirement excludes converted heavy duty pickup trucks, the project encompasses cars, zero emission motorcycles and neighborhood electric vehicles.

To qualify, individuals and businesses as well as government entities and nonprofit organizations must be based in California. Those businesses or groups with a California based affiliate are also eligible provided that the vehicle is registered in the Golden State. Applicants must own or lease a vehicle for a minimum of 36 months. If a California DMV-registered vehicle is sold or returned ahead of time, ARB approval must be given first and the tax credit prorated and returned to the state. No vehicle, however, can be sold for a profit during that 36-month period.

Eligible California Vehicles

California identifies a large number of vehicles that are eligible under CVRP. For instance, the Honda FCX Clarity, an FCEV, can garner lessees a $2,500 tax rebate as can the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell. Your battery electric vehicle options are more numerous and include the CODA Sedan, Honda Fit EV, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Smart Fortwo EV, the Tesla Roadster, Toyota RAV4 EV and vehicles from Ford, Think, Wheego, Nissan and BYD. The state tax rebates here are for up to $2,500.

A handful of PHEV models are also eligible including the Chevrolet Volt, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion Energi, Ford CMAX Energi and the Toyota Prius PHEV. California tax rebates in this category are $1,500. Lastly, qualified ZEV motorcycles and neighborhood electric vehicles may also be eligible for a $900 California tax rebate.

See Also — Fuel Efficient Vehicles and Federal Tax Incentives