Toyota FCV named Best of What’s New in 2014

Even the techies at Popular Science like the Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV). The magazine named the sedan to a 2014 Best of What’s New winner in the auto category.

“For 27 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us − those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our view of what's possible in the future,” said Cliff Ransom, editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What's New Award is the magazine's top honour, and the 100 winners − chosen from among thousands of entrants − each a revolution in its field.”
 
The Toyota FCV: Technology at a Glance
 
What is it? The FCV is an all-electric, four-door sedan that makes its own electricity on board.  It utilizes the same hybrid technology developed for Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive systems but replaces the petrol engine with a fuel cell stack.
 
How does it work? The FCV features hydrogen fuel tanks (the hydrogen is a compressed gas, similar to a natural gas vehicle), an electric motor, a fuel cell stack, a small battery and a power control unit.  The hydrogen gas is fed into the fuel cell stack where it is combined with oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen move through the fuel cell stack and create a chemical reaction, producing electricity to power the vehicle. 
 
What’s the benefit? It takes less than five minutes to refuel. It has a range of 300 miles/480 kilometres. And the only emission from the tailpipe is water vapour.