ToMoCo, world’s largest seller of hybrid vehicles has announced that it will start selling hydrogen cars by 2015 or can be earlier for Japan, California and Germany. The hydrogen vehicles will be sold as an alternative to battery-powered models that are coming out in the market. The Japanese automaker has been finding ways on how they could cut cost in producing their hydrogen vehicles so that they will be able to sell their models for less than $100,000.
In an interview with Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s Executive Vice President for Research and Product Development at the Detroit auto show he said, “I have high expectations for fuel-cell vehicles as a candidate for next-generation cars. Over the past several years, we’ve seen many of the outstanding technical issues solved.”
It can be noted that over the past decade the eagerness of manufacturers to produce hydrogen vehicles dwindle due to the high cost involved. It was estimated that around $1 million is required to produce a vehicle. The other problem was the lack of fueling stations but not anymore since Toyota and twelve other Japanese companies including Honda, Nissan and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. are now planning to build 100 hydrogen fueling stations by 2015.
Uchiyamada also mentioned, “When it comes to fuel cars, the cruising distance is almost comparable to conventional gasoline-engine cars.”
ToMoCo’s first hydrogen cars for retail buyers is scheduled to hit dealerships by 2015 or can be sooner in a statement made by Akio Toyoda, the company’s President. But for now Toyota is still finalizing their marketing strategy for their hydrogen vehicles and still contemplating whether the initial model will bear the Toyota brand or that of the Lexus brand. The price range of Toyota’s hybrid models will be around $50,000.
As for performance specifications and other details Uchiyamada said that they will soon release a statement on it.
I guess we’ll just have to wait for now.
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