Toyota Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle concept headed to Frankfurt

Toyota has recently announced its plans to introduce a Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.

The FCHV concept which will serve as a preview to the 2015 production model will come loaded with a fuel cell, two high-pressure hydrogen tanks, a 21 kW battery and a Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The company did not reveal detailed specifications but reportedly the engineers have made quite a few improvements to the system since the FCV-R concept debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011.

As informed by Toyota, the engineers have reduced the size of the fuel cell stack and at the same time even managed to increase its output to 3.0 kW per liter. They have also found a way to increase the range of the model to more than 350 miles (563 km) and have also used different materials which enable it to work in areas where temperatures are as low as -30°C (-22°F).

In terms of pricing, the production model is expected to come with a base price of around £70,000 (approx $109,030 / €82,575). The company is also quite hopeful that additional cost savings can be found before the model is launched.