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Hydrogen powered Toyota completes 350 mile trip

09/28/2007, 1:11 PM

By Drew Johnson

Toyota has announced that its hydrogen fuel-cell powered FCHV has successfully completed a 350 mile trip — from Osaka to Tokyo — without stopping for fuel. The trip — which started at the Osaka Prefectural Government Office and concluded at the Mega Web automobile-themed amusement facility in Tokyo — was also complete with the air conditioning running the entire time.

According to Toyota, the FCHV is 25% more fuel-efficient than the previous model, thanks to improvements in many of the vehicle’s systems. The newest FCHV can also can carry almost twice as much hydrogen as older versions.

Toyota’s 350 mile journey without a fill-up bests GM’s record of 300 miles on a single tank, set in a hydrogen fuel-cell powered Sequel earlier this year.

With GM planning to beat Toyota to the market with lithium-ion powered plug-in hybrids, it appears as though Toyota won’t give up its green crown without a fight. While the latest FCHV shows a glimpse of a possible future might look like, no word has been given on when we can expect to see hydrogen powered vehicles on the market.

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09/28, 1:47 PM

posted by:

mujician

Who even cares at this point, I may sound overly sarcastice, but we need an infrastructure. Everyone has shown that producing a hydrogen vehicle is a possability, but what’s the use if no one came come up with the fuel source for the public. At this point I fill it’s useless.

09/28, 1:55 PM

posted by:

maximus

USELESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

09/28, 2:01 PM

posted by:

Get Real

Ok, how are we going to make Hydrogen ?

Will it take “power” to make it ?

There goes pollution again, no net gain.

Move to India, live as an “untouchable”, and then love the mother earth.

09/28, 2:11 PM

posted by:

frankhoffy

And at the end of the trip, the vehicle exploded

09/28, 2:47 PM

posted by:

Mbongo

The true is this: GM did this first and no one will change it.
I bet that if GM has to this today, they will probably complete more than 350 miles.

09/28, 3:43 PM

posted by:

jackjimturkey

mujician: good point

09/28, 4:10 PM

posted by:

AgmLauncher

Battery fuel cell > Hydrogen fuel cell. Fact.

09/28, 4:37 PM

posted by:

injunraiv

Hey, I actually saw GM making their trip some months ago – they went right past my door! As for infrastructure, it can’t get here fast enough. Lastly, it takes power to extract the hydrogen, but that can come from non-poluting, renewable sources (like wind). At least it’s zero emisions at the vehicle. You can clean one smokestack cheaper than 1,000,000 cars.

09/28, 5:54 PM

posted by:

Commodore

Good job Toyota!

09/28, 6:35 PM

posted by:

tripleonefive

I love what you do for me Toyota

09/28, 6:47 PM

posted by:

Deanster

injunraiv, did you say “wind” as an energy source?

Man, I think I was in grade three when my teacher would tell us “One day, energy will come from wind and the sun! It’s true!!!” Man, that was funny….

09/29, 12:00 AM

posted by:

55amg

just because its toyota, everyones being negative

09/29, 12:44 AM

posted by:

Scarface03

I agree this isn’t necessarily breaking news, but if the infrastructure is to come, the technology has to be proven. A 350 mile range definitely fits the bill for most people’s needs.

Sarcasm from Deanster aside, wind can be an effective energy source. Wind farms already can provide enough electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes, but I’ve never heard how that someone compresses hydrogen into a fuel cell.

09/29, 12:51 AM

posted by:

Commodore

55amg – are you serious? They are so many positive posts. A lot more than there would be if this was an article about the Volt or Hydrogen-powered TEST car from GM

09/29, 6:28 AM

posted by:

WEKS

In before GM_SALES

09/29, 7:17 AM

posted by:

injunraiv

Deanster: Yes, I said (and I mean) wind. I have a wind farm near me in NE PA. My understanding is every time the blade goes around one time it produces enough energy to power an average home for 2 weeks. Surely it can produce enough to pass some electricity through water so the H can be harvested…

09/29, 7:19 AM

posted by:

injunraiv

Oh yeah – to frankhoffy: I guess you didn’t know gasoline is flammable, too… ;^)

09/29, 10:16 AM

posted by:

jdasch1

And still not one insurance company to take on vehicles that have to get an annual test for leaks. Hydrogen is the most reactive element in the periodic table, and they still don’t have a fuel tank to last. A long, long way to go yet….but good job Toyota!

09/29, 1:20 PM

posted by:

A4

but gasoline isnt nearly as combustible in an accident as pressurized pure hydrogen.

09/29, 1:58 PM

posted by:

BLISS

SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY…..GREAT.

09/29, 5:23 PM

posted by:

jdasch1

Cars have to be built for the masses and hydrogen cars won’t be ready for many years due to insurance, repair facilities, fueling sites, and safety validation. Hopefully a low pressure solution will evolve. So far everything is being tested has a very high pressure tank and that needs to change. Electric vehicles and fuel cells have been around for years and thats what they really are testing as a package. The real problems with Hydrogen transportation are massive expense and huge liability…not durability.

09/30, 10:53 AM

posted by:

injunraiv

Deanster, WTF? I was just repeating what I’ve been told. I’ve never checked into the validity of the comment…

Even if the quantity of power generated is vastly overstated, my basic point was that you could use a renewable power source to create a renewable fuel. Take my argument and distort it however you want, that point is valid.

09/30, 10:05 PM

posted by:

jackjimturkey

1115: Not a bad nostalgic ’70s car commercial.

here’s one.

“Put your money in the bank
not in the tank
drive a Datsun, datsun
We areeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee driven!

10/01, 11:49 AM

posted by:

Get Real

Yeah, Datsun had a good thing going there.

Then they changed to Nissan and joined the French to make cars people don’t trust.

 
 
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