After hybrid success, Toyota gambles on fuel cell

3 minutes to fill up and 700km on one 'tank'? Not bad at all.

What are the current and forecast costs of refuelling? Will that 700km cost more than that of unleaded?

So now every Family Mart will have 2 reserved parking spaces for electric charging (which nobody uses) and another 2 reserved parking spaces for hydrogen vehicles (which nobody will use either).

What are the current and forecast costs of refuelling? Will that 700km cost more than that of unleaded?

It varies, but currently its in the (US) $5/kg range. The Toyota has a 5kg capacity according to consumer reports, so $25 for 700km.

That's based on production using natural gas. I imagine that as the infrastructure and tech grows the costs will come down.

If Toyota decides to roll this out by installing filling stations at every dealership nationwide and using solar in the process, my guess is that the price should be in the 400 yen/kg range.

Inresearch labs they have already created a fuel cell that does not require noble mineral(Platinum) so the price of these vehicle will go down considerably within the next 5~10 years.

Japan quietly leads the way in these new technologies. I am amazed at the number of hybrid cars in Tokyo. There are so many models now and, whether it is connected I'm not sure, but the air in Tokyo seems much better than it was 20 years ago. I see Nissan Leafs around but not that many yet. If hydrogen fueled cars are also zero emission, bring them on!

Thanks Hokkaidoguy. @ Serendipitous- I agree, but remember that old diesels are now outlaws in the big mikan.

Just remember how the Toyota hybrids were ridiculed by leading automakers word wide.

Yes but will it have the same amazing sound of the new Lexus RCF with its V8 NA combustion engine? I will feel so lonely driving my gas guzzling V8 next year ;_;

Key concerns will be the cost of a tank of Hydrogen fuel? Hydrogen fill-up stations? Final cost of said vehicle? Though, I commend Toyota for taking the lead in developing an environmental-friendly car. It's all about forward thinking and our collective corporate responsibility to our environment. Gradually, we must change from the internal combustion engine to a more sustainable energy source. Electro-magnetic motor technology is also worth looking into as an alternate power source, though, huge amount of R&D capital will be needed, obviously.

This is old news. Honda FCX Clarity has been running on the roads for 7-8 years I believe. Glad to see one more automaker following the way

"....hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels."

Err, did none of you posters catch this part? As the headline says, this is a "gamble," not a no-brainer, and we have to wonder why none of the other automakers are getting involved.

Jefflee san. Good point. But that is for now.

The demand for hydrgen in liquid form is limited at present and there is no real driver to produce it in bulk from a different source.

Just as those amazing little yeast cells make our beer and carbonate it with gas, there are numerous organisms that create /exhaust hydrogen.

The R and D in that area is exploding (sorry can't resist) and the Economist magazine sees cheap sustainably produced hydrogen as a wide open industry just waiting for a market.

Could very well be worth buying shares in?

You can also collect methane churning out at waste water treatment plants and barns collecting animal f@rts. Basically Hydrogen is a very abundant energy source that had been left untouched.

According to renewableenergyfocus.com's article "Hydrogen production from renewables" by Dale Gardner, the most mature method for creating hydrogen from renewables is Electrolysis, which was actually used as electric power storage as far back as in the 1920's and 30's. It might answers the question of what to do with off peak electricity, and changes the economics of weather dependent renewables solar and wind.

I expect those middle eastern desert countries would be very happy to be able to create hydrogen from all their abundant sunshine when the oil runs out.