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2015 TUCSON FUEL CELL

California Hydrogen Refueling Network Receives Backing From Toyota

May 8, 2014 by admin 4 Comments

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.


Related Fuel Cell Articles

Hyundai Tucson FCV: First Mass Produced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

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Toyota Opens California Pipeline-Fed Hydrogen Station


Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, Inc.

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: 2015 TUCSON FUEL CELL, CALIFORNIA, FCEV, FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES, HYDROGEN STATIONS, Toyota

Hyundai Tucson FCV: First Mass Produced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

November 21, 2013 by admin 3 Comments

Bring it on. The first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle will not come from Honda, General Motors or Toyota, who are among the biggest names associated with this emerging technology. Instead, the winner in the race for the first hydrogen-powered vehicle will be Hyundai when its 2015 Tucson FCV (fuel cell vehicle) hits the market next spring.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV.
Arriving Spring 2014: 2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

Hyundai took the wraps off of its Tucson FCV this week at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. It will be made available at several southern California Hyundai dealerships beginning in spring 2014. With $2,999 down and a 36-month lease signed, customers will pay $499 per month to drive one. The lease package also includes unlimited free hydrogen refueling and access to the company’s “At Your Service Valet Maintenance” plan offered exclusively to Hyundai Equus and Tucson FCV owners. That plan provides a free loaner vehicle if the FCV needs to be serviced, with a Hyundai dealer picking up and returning the serviced vehicle to the customer’s home, including the delivery of the loaner vehicle.

Tucson FCV availability will be restricted to southern California initially. The biggest problem facing this technology is that a hydrogen fueling infrastructure is not yet in place across the country. As of this writing, there are just 10 hydrogen stations in the United States, with eight of these clustered in the Los Angeles area. A ninth station can be found in Emeryville, Calif. The lone east coast station can be found in Columbia, SC.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

How to Order One

The US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center tracks the number of public stations, but not the private ones. The state of California is backing hydrogen energy and has vowed to develop as many as 100 hydrogen fueling stations across the state over the next few years. For its part the federal government has thrown its support behind H2USA, a private-public partnership developed to push for a national hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Automakers such as Hyundai, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan have joined with various gas and hydrogen associations to support H2USA.

Hyundai has established an interest page or what they say is the first step in the Tucson FCV ordering process on it website. Visit Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell and you’ll be asked to provide your first name, last name, email, and zip code. Hit the submit button and you’ll be registered.

This east coast guy did sign up and received the following message: “Unfortunately the Tucson Fuel Cell is not currently available in your area. It may become available in the near future, so please check back and stay updated with our fuel cells.” The sign up page also touts the FCV’s 300-mile range, what some other vehicles offer. Unlike any other mass-produced vehicle, the Tucson FCV runs on water and has zero emissions except for harmless water vapor.

Soon after signing up, I received the following note from Hyundai via email: “You’re now on the list for upcoming announcements about the exciting new Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. It’s completely reimagining the idea of an electric vehicle. Keep an eye on your inbox for more updates and to find out when the Tucson Fuel Cell will be available in your area.” I had to pull the message out of my spam box, by the way.

How hydrogen power works.
How hydrogen power works.

Refueling and Testing

Hyundai says that the FCV can be refueled in under 10 minutes or for about the same time you would refuel a gasoline-powered vehicle. They are also touting the minimal cold-weather effects of FCV technology compared with battery electric vehicles while emphasizing the 221 foot-pounds of torque derived from its electric motor. Hyundai says that its fuel cell fleet has been in operation since 2000 and has completed more than 2 million durability test miles. That testing has also put the Tucson FCV through numerous crash, fire and leak testing scenarios.

The 2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV will be built at the same Ulsan, Korea, manufacturing plant that produces the gas-powered Tucson. And, yes, I’ll let you know if Hyundai ever follows up with a message announcing availability beyond its initial marketing base.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

Further Reading

Toyota Opens California Pipeline-Fed Hydrogen Station

Daimler, Nissan and Ford Tie One On (Fuel Cell Partnership)

MIT Names Audi, Toyota As Disruptive Companies

KPMG Survey: Automotive Executives and Electric Vehicles

Tucson FCV photos and charts courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: 2015 TUCSON FUEL CELL, crossover, F2USA, hydrogen, HYDROGEN STATIONS, Hyundai Motor America, sport utility vehicle, TUCSON FCV

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