Toyota has teamed up with the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) to help deliver hydrogen-fuelled transport systems in Europe.
The Japanese carmaker has become the new international auto partner for the partnership and will supply five Toyota FCHV-adv fuel cell hybrid vehicles in Germany by 2011.
The partnership is working to deliver a network of hydrogen filling stations in the country. Toyota will play a vital role in delivering the first hydrogen fuel-enabled vehicles to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell technology.
CEP’s activities are supported by the German Government, which is investing around €2 billion to support the development of hydrogen fuel cell and electric vehicle technologies.
Tadashi Arashima, President and CEO Toyota Motor Europe, said: “We firmly believe that fuel cell hybrid vehicles will play a major role in reducing emissions and achieving sustainable mobility, alongside petrol and plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles. These various applications of full hybrid technology will each play their role and co-exist in the future.
“Toyota aims at the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles around 2015. To achieve this goal a hydrogen charging infrastructure is necessary, so close tie-ups between car manufacturers and infrastructure companies are of vital importance. "
Other CEP partners are setting up ‘CO2-free’ hydrogen filling stations at key locations between Berlin and Hamburg and the partnership is also campaigning to increase the proportion of hydrogen fuel produced from renewable sources to 50 per cent.
The carmaker in the meantime is displaying the FCHV-adv at the Geneva Motor Show this week, demonstrating the company’s success in improving driving range and very cold weather operation. Compared to the original FCHV, the world’s first production fuel cell vehicle, its high pressure hydrogen storage tanks give a cruising range of more than 500 miles – more than twice that of its predecessor.
