Toyota has unveiled the outside design (pictured at top) and Japanese price for the fuel cell vehicle that is supposed to go on sale in March 2015. The Japanese price is around 7 million yen ($68,809 USD) and the design is the same as the FCV concept that was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November 2013.
According to Toyota, “In Japan, the fuel cell sedan will go on sale at Toyota and Toyopet dealerships, priced at approximately 7 million yen (MSRP; excludes consumption tax). Initially, sales will be limited to regions where hydrogen refueling infrastructure is being developed. U.S. and Europe prices have not yet been decided. Likewise, more detailed information, such as specifications, exact prices and sales targets, will be announced later …
“… Significant improvements have been made to the FC system since 2002. The fuel cell sedan Toyota revealed today, for example, features performance similar to a gasoline engine vehicle, with a cruising range2 of approximately 700 km (according to Toyota measurements taken under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s JC08 test cycle) and a refueling time of roughly three minutes. When driven, it emits only the water vapor produced by the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen …
“… Toyota Group companies are also engaging in other hydrogen-related initiatives, such as developing and testing fuel cells for use in homes, and developing fuel cell forklifts and fuel cell buses.”
Toyota has stated that they intend to start commercial production of the FCVs in mid-December 2014. The same vehicle is targeted to rollout in the U. S. and Europe in the summer of 2015.