Fuel-Cell Vehicle Heads Toyota Tokyo Debuts

TOKYO – A new fuel-cell-powered concept and a handful of production models head the lineup for Toyota at this month’s Tokyo Motor Show.

The FCV Concept is a successor to the FCV-R that was unveiled at the Tokyo show two years ago. It employs a pair of 10,153-psi (70-MPa) high-pressure hydrogen tanks and can travel more than 310 miles (500 km) between fill-ups.

The car’s fuel-cell stack has a power-output density of 3 kW/L, more than twice the unit in the current FCHV-adv car. Output is rated at a minimum 100 kW. Increased voltage has allowed Toyota to cut motor size and reduce the number of fuel cells, lowering the cost.

The concept presages a production fuel-cell model Toyota plans to launch in 2015.

The automaker also will roll out the FV2, a follow-up to the Fun Vii concept shown in 2011. The futuristic FV2 operates by the driver shifting his body to move the vehicle forward and back or left and right. It is loaded with intelligent-transportation technologies.

The Aqua G Sports, a sporty version of the popular Aqua hybrid (Prius C in overseas markets), also will make its debut. The production model will launch in the domestic market this month.

Three other Japan-market models will be on display: a Japan taxi concept (JPN Taxi) and the automaker’s Voxy and Noah vans scheduled for launch in early 2014.

The Tokyo show is open to the public Nov. 23-Dec. 1.