Media Contacts:
Michele Lovenduski
City of Irvine
(949) 724-7558
[email protected]
Cindy Knight
Toyota Motor Sales, USA
(310) 468-2170
[email protected]
Kathy Haq
UC Irvine
National Fuel Cell
Research Center
(949) 824-1999 ext. 118
[email protected]
Toyota’s Role In Developing Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles (FCHV)
Quick Glance Fact Sheet
Media Note: All FCHVs are zero-emission vehicles and use hydrogen fuel cells and should not be
confused with gas-electric hybrid vehicles that are being marketed and sold today.
1992
Toyota launches initiative to design and market the world’s first fuel cell automobiles; fuel cell
technology originally used within the U.S. Gemini space program in the 1960s; technology
matures over the years and shrinks in size leading to the theoretical use as an effective and
alternative power plant for automobiles
1996
Toyota demonstrates its in-house developed FCHV in a Japan exhibition parade
1997
Toyota introduces the Prius, the world’s first mass produced, low emission, energy efficient
electric/gasoline hybrid vehicle; Toyota leverages the energy efficient technologies within the
hybrid system to achieve similar efficiencies with its FCHV automobiles; later in the year Toyota
unveils the world’s first methanol fueled FCHV
2000
Fuel combustion automobiles account for 18 percent of CO2 (carbon dioxide) gases in the
environment; scientists suggest CO2 is a leading cause of what is known as the greenhouse
affect causing global warming
Other dangerous contaminants (nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, particulate matter) are also
omitted by gasoline driven automobiles affecting air quality in metropolitan cities and other heavily
trafficked areas
Manufacturers continue to explore the research and development of hybrid vehicles as a step to
reduce the amount of transportation emission pollutants and contaminants; FCHV vehicles are
deemed as one of the most ideal alternatives as they have zero-emission pollutants and
contaminants by converting hydrogen into electricity with a water byproduct
Toyota joins the California Fuel Cell Partnership
Toyota’s Role In Developing FCHVs.../Page 2
2001
Toyota announces the hydrogen-based FCHV-3 with greatly advanced power output; later in the
year the company announces the FCHV-4 and begins testing the vehicle on public roads in
Japan and later in the U.S. in cooperation with the California Fuel Cell Partnership
Further development of hydrogen-based FCHVs lead Toyota to co-develop with Hino Motors a
large, low-floor city bus – the FCHV-BUS1
Toyota in collaboration with General Motors and Exxon announce development of Clean
Hydrocarbon Fuel (HCF); Toyota rolls out FCHV-5 using “clean hydrocarbon fuel”
2002
Toyota becomes first manufacturer certified by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and
Transport to market FCHV vehicles; begins limited marketing in the U.S. and Japan
Toyota and Daihatsu co-develop a compact fuel cell system suitable for mini-car applications and
announce the MOVE FCV-K-2 which uses compressed hydrogen
Toyota and Hino complete development on an improved FCHV BUS – the FCHV-BUS2
2003
Toyota road tests the co-developed MOVE FCV-K-2 and FCHV-BUS2; the FCHV-BUS2 becomes
the first fuel cell bus to go into service as part of a municipal fleet in Japan
Toyota delivers the first two ‘market ready’ prototype hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (based on the
popular mid-size Highlander SUV model) to the University of California, Irvine and University of
California, Davis as the initial step to establish two California fuel-cell test communities; six
refueling stations are put in place in each test community
University of California, Irvine (National Fuel Cell Research Center) begins testing FCHVs for
performance, reliability and usability; while the University of California, Davis (Transportation
Studies) begins testing FCHVs for consumer acceptance and market dynamics
2004
More than 740 million vehicles are in use around the world relying on high emission fossil fuels;
number is growing annually
st
Environmental studies suggest by the latter half of the 21 century, world petroleum reserves will
be in danger of depletion as world demand continues to grow annually; automobiles are one of
the biggest consumers of petroleum supplies
Alternatively, hydrogen is in infinite abundance as it is easily obtained from many different natural
sources, but most importantly from water (H2O); hydrogen also is an environmental friendly
energy source producing no CO2 or harmful emissions
Toyota delivers a second FCHV vehicle to the University of California, Irvine; it is leased by
Orange County-based Horiba Instruments Inc. to provide real-world feedback on California
driving experiences
Eighteen FCHVs are on the road in Japan and the U.S. documenting comprehensive data on the
vehicle’s capabilities and functionality (all vehicles in the U.S. are in California with UCI, UCD or
private corporations)
2005
Toyota showcases FCHVs to Michigan lawmakers in honor of Earth Day (Toyota’s Technical
Center resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Toyota’s fuel cell technology is on the verge of surpassing gasoline engines in power density
(compactness versus generated horse power); 96 mph maximum speed / 194 lb-ft maximum
Toyota’s Role In Developing FCHVs.../Page 3
torque, 109-hp electric motor, tank capacity delivers over 180 miles cruising distance (the
equivalent of 63 miles per gallon of gasoline)
Toyota delivers to the City of Irvine the first FCHV to a municipality in the nation to gather
additional vehicle road testing data
- end Media Note: For more background information regarding any of the participating parties’ activities
related to alternative fuel cell research, development and/or use, please visit their respective Web sites,
or contact one of the media contacts listed above.
Electronic images of Toyota hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles are available
on-line via the Wieck Photo Database (972) 392-0888 or via the Toyota news media Web
site located at http://pressroom.toyota.com.
City of Irvine
www.ci.irvine.ca.us
Toyota Motor Sales, USA
www.toyota.com
UC Irvine
www.nfcrc.uci.edu