Development of Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle in Toyota

Concerns surrounding the timing of peak oil for conventional fossil fuels (i.e., the point at which the maximum global production rate will be reached) and the growing need to reduce CO(2) emissions are increasing the importance of energy source diversification. For vehicles, this can be accomplished by more efficient internal combustion engines (ICE), the use of bioethanol, more widespread application of ICE-hybrid systems, and the development of technologies that use electricity and hydrogen, such as plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) and fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV). Since Toyota started limited lease of the Toyota FCHV, the world's first market-ready fuel cell vehicle, in 2002, Toyota has steadily improved the technology, and has succeeded in significantly extending the vehicle's cruising range in actual driving conditions and enhancing its cold start capabilities. For the next step, Toyota aims to work toward the commercialization and popularization of fuel cell vehicles by focusing on reducing costs and improving durability, and by cooperating with governments and energy companies to establish hydrogen infrastructure.