Perfection is nigh-on difficult to attain, especially in matters of vehicular- environmental-friendliness, but the Toyota FCV Concept sure comes close. FCVs use fuel cells which use hydrogen to generate electricity, with the only emission being water. Unfortunately, this car won’t run on FCV alone, and will also incorporate a battery back-up when added power is needed, say during a burst of acceleration. During deceleration, the motor will then store the braking energy in the battery.
The concept has a range of over 300 miles and the two hydrogen tanks are stored underneath, meaning there’s plenty of room to seat four inside. The exterior styling beautifully reflects its fuel cell vehicle credentials with oversized air intakes at front and a catamaran stern-like rear to represent the air-to-water transformation. The car is also enhanced by a high-efficiency boost convertor, the increased voltage allowing for a smaller motor and less fuel cells, offering greater performance, cheaper. The plan is to launch in 2015. Let’s hope it does.
