Both Toyota and Kia Motors are affirming that they will be producing and selling hydrogen fuel cell cars by 2015. Toyota has developed a 3 kW/L fuel cell stack that is twice as powerful as the one they are using in the FCHV-adv.
This fuel cell stack is also about half the size and weight, so this will leave more leg room inside the vehicle. Toyota has also developed a more powerful and efficient electric motor and “high-efficiency boost convertor” which creates more voltage in a smaller package, thus allowing a smaller fuel cell system as well.
Now, in Korea, Kia has been piloting the Borrego FCEV 4WD fuel cell vehicle. Kia has created a fuel cell that works well in extreme climates, hot and cold. In addition, Kia’s fuel cell vehicle has achieved 54 miles per gallon equivalent in the testing program. And the Borrego FCEV can travel around 400 miles before refueling.
Kia plans to build and sell at least 10,000 fuel cell vehicles per year in the first few years of operation, and then scale this number up to 100,000 vehicles. And because H2 refueling infrastructure is one of the main obstacles to selling fuel cell cars, Kia is joining with other businesses and government to help build this infrastructure in Korea and other places.
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