hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Toyota plans to launch zero-emission 'car of the future'
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Toyota plans to launch zero-emission 'car of the future'
Toyota executives have announced plans to launch a fuel-cell powered car in 2015. With zero emissions and low cost, the cars are expected to be commonplace sooner than expected.
Fuel-cell technology, which utilities a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, has been held back by high production costs and lack of fuel stations. However, with the promise of zero emission, the only by-product being water vapor, car makers continued to push fuel-cell development, and claim to have succeeded. While the technology has been around for years, with other auto makers launching their own fuel-cell cars, Toyota has been the first to develop a fuel-cell practical enough for common use. The Toyota design is described as a mid-sized, four-door sedan, with a streamlined frame to maximize oxygen intake. The car is expected to be able to travel over 300 miles per fueling, the fueling process itself taking about less than five minutes. "Fuel cells will be in our future sooner than many people believe... and in much greater numbers than anyone expected," says Bob Carter, vice president of Toyota Motor Sales. Starting in California, the first priority for Carter and his team is to expand the number of fuel stations from the current 10, to a widespread 100, in order to build a reliable and convenient hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Carter also stresses the affordability of the new car, saying, "we believe we can bring it in at a very reasonable price for a lot of people." However, exact numbers are still to come. Toyota also plans to launch the car in Japan soon after its debut in California. Despite all the developments, studies show that fuel-cell cars will not make a significant dent in the automobile market or harmful gas emissions before 2030.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Toyota plans to launch zero-emission 'car of the future'