With rising fuel prices and looming emissions regulation worldwide, more and more automakers are looking to alternative fuels to power future vehicles. Hydrogen is one such technology and it looks as though Toyota has moved some of its fuel-cell research to the U.S.
This Japanese-market Mark X Zio doesn’t exactly look in place here in the United States. The vehicle itself has been on sale in Japan for a while now, but not as seen here: First – this is left-hand drive vehicle and therefore not something that you would find in Japan.
Second: This Mark X Zio was running on a hydrogen fuel cell!
Toyota has been doing lots of fuel cell development over the last several years, including a high-MPG Highlander – referred to as the Toyota FCHV-adv – which reached a 516-mile range and a 25% increase in fuel efficiency during recent testing in Japan. But a hydrogen fuel cell in this Mark X Zio will likely be a surprise to everyone!
With gas prices going up and up, we wouldn’t be surprised if Toyota is considering introducing such a vehicle to the United States.
July 22nd, 2008
07/22, 2:28 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Actually it is not a bad looking car. Where do they plan to fill it up?
07/22, 2:36 PM
posted by:
t-ak-box
“Where do they plan to fill it up?” by xyunya
Probably in owners homes. I believe thats what Honda has done with its past Hydrogen models and also has setup small filling stations near it Dealers or HQ or something like that.
07/22, 2:48 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
I have no idea why car companies continue to waste their money on Hydrogen. Even with todays advanged fuel cells and compression technology it would take a hydrogen tank the size of the entire car to get any kind of range out of it in real-world driving conditions. Not to mention the fact that the infrastructure isn’t there… and odds are it never will be.
07/22, 4:11 PM
posted by:
xyunya
t-ak-box, owners home do not have hydrogen. As a matter of fact the only commercially feasible way today to get hydrogen for fuel cell is via catalyst of water. Which is expensive – it requires gobbles of electricity and it is an industrial process. At home people have natural gas for cooking and heating systems. It is not usable in fuel cell.
07/22, 8:03 PM
posted by:
t-ak-box
Then I guess they get the Hydrogen from Hydrogen Refueling stations. They are 25 stations in California. these things could be throughout the nation with more government support.
07/22, 9:53 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
Car companies are ‘wasting’ their money on hydrogen because it is sustainable and the byproduct is harmless. Along with cellulosic ethanol, solar, ect. Everyone wants to grab the green halo. Much like Toyota and Honda started ‘wasting’ their money on hybrid technology 15 years ago. Hybrid technology is going to be the basis of the future car. You’ll have hydrogen hybrids, diesel hybrids, gas hybrids, ect. And infrastructure will come, because $6-7 dollar gas will demand it…from private companies and government.
07/23, 1:52 AM
posted by:
Got Handling?
hydrogen is the future, can’t get here fast enough
07/23, 12:20 PM
posted by:
JoshyLofty
.looks like a Yaris & a Murano had a baby. lol. i like it tho. I sure hope it becomes a reality. If one carmaker will make hydrogen a reality, more will follow. Its just that nobody’s taking the 1st step to mass-market such a car.