Toyota FCHV
Encyclopedia
The Toyota FCHV is a current hybrid
hydrogen
fuel cell vehicle
development programme, which had a limited commercial launch in the USA
and Japan
in 2002.
"FCHV" stands for "Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle". A number of prototype
s have been produced, up to the latest FCHV-adv ("advanced"). The FCHV designs are based on the Toyota Highlander
production SUV, although a bus
version is also in development. The powertrain consists of a 90 kW fuel cell supplied from onboard compressed hydrogen tanks, and a nickel-metal hydride accumulator battery
in parallel. Battery and fuel cell can provide power to the 90 kW driving motors
either singly or together. The mechanism is very similar to the Hybrid Synergy Drive
in the Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris
HSD but with the fuel cell replacing the petrol internal combustion engine
, thus minimising greenhouse gas
emissions at point of use.
At low speeds the FCHV can run on battery alone, with a range of about 50 km (31.1 mi). For high performance, such as when accelerating from rest, the fuel cell and battery supply power in tandem. The battery can also charge by regenerative braking, improving overall efficiency. There are currently five generations of the FCHV, beginning with preliminary prototypes FCHV-1 (1997) and FCHV-2 (1999). The FCHV-3 was presented at the "International Symposium on Fuel-Cell Vehicles" in March 2001 in Tokyo
, and the FCHV-4 was the first production version, although Toyota do not plan a full-scale commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle launch until 2015.
As of 2008 the FCHV-adv was available for lease in Japan . The use of the vehicles by government ministries and companies is intended to provide detailed development feedback on the FCHV performance under varied driving conditions.
In 2007 a FCHV was driven 560 km (348 mi) between Osaka and Tokyo on a single tank of hydrogen, proving that a hydrogen vehicle could compete with conventional vehicles for range. In August 2009, Toyota USA announced an estimated FCHV-adv range of 690 km (428.7 mi) from a 6 kg (13 lb) tank of hydrogen, based on a 331.5 miles (533.5 km) test trip in "real-world" conditions between Torrance
and San Diego
, California
.
(10000 PSI
) hydrogen tank
s holds 156 liters - enough fuel for a range of 830 kilometres (515.7 mi).
The Toyota FCHV-BUS is a fuel cell bus
based on the Hino Blue Ribbon City
low-floor bus.
FCHV-BUS demonstrated at Toei Bus
(August 2003 - December 2004) and Expo 2005
. After Expo 2005, some were lent to bus fleet operators, and also demonstrated in fuel cell events.
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
fuel cell vehicle
Fuel cell vehicle
A Fuel cell vehicle or Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle is a type of hydrogen vehicle which uses a fuel cell to produce electricity, powering its on-board electric motor...
development programme, which had a limited commercial launch in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2002.
"FCHV" stands for "Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle". A number of prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s have been produced, up to the latest FCHV-adv ("advanced"). The FCHV designs are based on the Toyota Highlander
Toyota Highlander
The Toyota Highlander is a midsize crossover SUV produced by Toyota. It is a taller, heavier version of the Toyota Camry.Announced in April 2000 at the New York Auto Show and arriving in late 2000 in Japan and January, 2001, in North America, the Highlander became the first car-based midsize SUV or...
production SUV, although a bus
Fuel cell bus
A fuel cell bus is a bus that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its power source for electrically driven wheels, sometimes augmented in a hybrid fashion with batteries or a supercapacitor....
version is also in development. The powertrain consists of a 90 kW fuel cell supplied from onboard compressed hydrogen tanks, and a nickel-metal hydride accumulator battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
in parallel. Battery and fuel cell can provide power to the 90 kW driving motors
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
either singly or together. The mechanism is very similar to the Hybrid Synergy Drive
Hybrid Synergy Drive
Hybrid Synergy Drive is a set of hybrid car technologies developed by Toyota and used in the company's Auris, Prius, Highlander Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Estima, Alphard, Lexus CT, Lexus RX 400h/RX 450h, Lexus GS 450h, Lexus LS 600h/LS 600hL, and Lexus HS 250h automobiles. Toyota also licenses its HSD...
in the Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris
Toyota Auris
The Toyota Auris is a compact 3 door and 5 door hatchback which shares the same E150 platform with the Toyota Corolla.In Europe, Toyota positioned the Auris as the replacement of Corolla hatchback, while the notchback Sedan continued with the Corolla nameplate...
HSD but with the fuel cell replacing the petrol internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
, thus minimising greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions at point of use.
At low speeds the FCHV can run on battery alone, with a range of about 50 km (31.1 mi). For high performance, such as when accelerating from rest, the fuel cell and battery supply power in tandem. The battery can also charge by regenerative braking, improving overall efficiency. There are currently five generations of the FCHV, beginning with preliminary prototypes FCHV-1 (1997) and FCHV-2 (1999). The FCHV-3 was presented at the "International Symposium on Fuel-Cell Vehicles" in March 2001 in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and the FCHV-4 was the first production version, although Toyota do not plan a full-scale commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle launch until 2015.
As of 2008 the FCHV-adv was available for lease in Japan . The use of the vehicles by government ministries and companies is intended to provide detailed development feedback on the FCHV performance under varied driving conditions.
In 2007 a FCHV was driven 560 km (348 mi) between Osaka and Tokyo on a single tank of hydrogen, proving that a hydrogen vehicle could compete with conventional vehicles for range. In August 2009, Toyota USA announced an estimated FCHV-adv range of 690 km (428.7 mi) from a 6 kg (13 lb) tank of hydrogen, based on a 331.5 miles (533.5 km) test trip in "real-world" conditions between Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
and San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Hydrogen storage
The 700 BarBar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(10000 PSI
Pounds per square inch
The pound per square inch or, more accurately, pound-force per square inch is a unit of pressure or of stress based on avoirdupois units...
) hydrogen tank
Hydrogen tank
A Hydrogen tank is used for hydrogen storage. The first type IV hydrogen tanks for compressed hydrogen at 700 Bar were demonstrated in 2001, the first fuel cell vehicles on the road with type IV tanks are the Toyota FCHV, Mercedes-Benz F-Cell and the HydroGen4.At the hydrogen station Hamburg...
s holds 156 liters - enough fuel for a range of 830 kilometres (515.7 mi).
FCHV-BUS
Fuel cell bus
A fuel cell bus is a bus that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its power source for electrically driven wheels, sometimes augmented in a hybrid fashion with batteries or a supercapacitor....
based on the Hino Blue Ribbon City
Hino Blue Ribbon
The Hino Blue Ribbon is a heavy-duty bus built by Hino. The range was primarily available as city bus and tourist coach.- RE/RC :*RB10-P *RB10 *RC10-P *RC100-P *RE100 *RC300/320...
low-floor bus.
- 90kW PEFC Fuel cell stack: twice
- Motor: AC synchronous 80 kW twice
- Hydrogen tank: Compressed hydrogen gas 35 Mpa / 150 liter, five (version 2002) or seven (version 2005)
- Passenger capacity: 63 (included 22 seats)
FCHV-BUS demonstrated at Toei Bus
Toei Bus
The is a bus service operated by the Bus Service Division, the . It is also called .The bureau mainly operates bus routes in the special wards of Tokyo, as well as those in the city of Ōme in the western Tama Area...
(August 2003 - December 2004) and Expo 2005
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was the World's Fair held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. It was a Specialized International Exhibition under the scheme of the 1972 protocol of the Convention relating to International Exhibitions...
. After Expo 2005, some were lent to bus fleet operators, and also demonstrated in fuel cell events.
- Chita Noriai (March 2006 - December 2009) as route bus in Chubu International Airport
- Chubu International Airport (since July 2006) as ramp bus
- Meitetsu BusMeitetsu Busis a bus company in Meitetsu Group.- Highway Buses :*Chuo Highway Bus**Meitetsu BC - Shinjuku**Meitetsu BC - Iida**Meitetsu BC - Ina, Komagane, Minowa**Meitetsu BC - Matsumoto**Meitetsu BC - Nagano**Meitetsu BC - Niigata*Hokuriku Expressway Bus...
(since October 2010) as route bus in Toyota City, Aichi - Airport Transport Service (since December 2010) as airport shuttle bus for Tokyo International Airport
See also
- List of fuel cell vehicles
- Fine-S
- Fine-N
- Fine-T
- Fine-X