Toyota FCHV
Toyota FCHV
The Toyota FCHV is a series of prototypes of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, introduced in 2001.
The abbreviation " FCHV " stands for "Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle " literally " fuel cell hybrid vehicle ". The hybrid must not here be confused with hybrids with an internal combustion engine, but the FCHV researched electric cars be equipped with a fuel cell stack before. These vehicles use a battery not only as a buffer, which is charged during braking and makes for propulsion during the subsequent restart for additional power, but the battery is the main energy storage and may be the only source of power when driving over long distance. At low energy of the battery can be charged by the fuel cell. This concept is also found in other fuel cell vehicles now, because it is much more about the special controller between the electric motor and the combination of a large battery with a fuel cell.
Currently, Toyota has five model generations of the FCHV, of which the first two FCHV -1 and FCHV -2 predevelopments the years 1997 and 1999, and based on the Toyota RAV4. More attention has reached the concept only with the presentation of the FCHV -3, based on the Toyota Kluger V ( Japanese name ) or Toyota Highlander, as he is called in the U.S., which has already reached production stage mainly.
The FCHV -3 is the prototype of a fuel cell vehicle, is entrained in the gaseous hydrogen in metal hydride storage. The 90- kW PEM fuel cell powers an electric motor connected in parallel to a nickel -metal hydride battery. In addition, there is a second battery as a buffer for driving with reverse power. Was presented the vehicle at the "International Symposium on full- Cell Vehicles " in March 2001 in Tokyo.
The FCHV -4 is the prototype of a fuel cell vehicle, in which gaseous hydrogen in pressure tanks ( 250 bar) is carried. The other characteristics are similar to the FCHV -3 ( 90 -kW PEM fuel cell, etc.). The vehicle was apparently developed in parallel with the FCHV -3 and presented in June 2001. This vehicle was equipped with a street legal, and took part in the perennial CaFCP.
The FCHV -5 is the prototype of a fuel cell vehicle, which is a natural evolution of the FCHV -4, introduced in October 2001. This prototype uses highly pure gasoline as fuel. Since the fuel cell can use only hydrogen is generated from the high-purity gas by means of a reformer of the hydrogen required.
The FCHV was introduced in 2002 and is the basis of a small series of fuel cell vehicles that have been tested in Japan and California from 2003 as lease vehicles. It was taken the basic concept of the FCHV -4 (90- kW PEM fuel cell and 80 kW electric motor), only the pressure of the hydrogen tanks increased to 350 bar.
2005 an improved version was delivered to the lessee, the higher power (90 kW) has the electric motor. Most of the 2003 delivered leasing vehicles were replaced in late 2005 by the improved version.
End of September 2007 drove a further improved version - now with a 700 bar hydrogen tank - from Osaka to Tokyo without refueling, which corresponds to a distance of 350 miles, or 560 km.
As of 2008, the FCHV -adv turn improved version was sent to the lessee, including Iwatani, delivered. These vehicles have now to 700 bar tank that can accommodate a total of 6 kg of hydrogen. They consume about 0.8 kg/100 km, which is about 25 % less hydrogen than the previous model. Thus, the range has extended to around 800 km per tank load.
The efficiency of the PEM fuel cell is about 60%, the electric motor developed 90 kW or 122 hp and torque of 260 Nm. The car is 1880 kg with only 45 kg heavier than the identical model with an internal combustion engine, which weighs 1835 kg. In the fuel cell is now hardly platinum is used as in a commercially available catalyst for internal combustion engines.