Japanese Big 3 unite on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Fuel cell hybrid vehicles are inevitable

2015 is shaping up to be the dawn of fuel cell vehicles. Around that time a number of automakers have announced plans to begin commercializing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Consequently, Honda, Nissan and Toyota are joining forces along with 10 other energy related companies to build a hydrogen infrastructure in Japan.

“Japanese automakers are continuing to drastically reduce the cost of manufacturing such systems and are aiming to launch FCVs in the Japanese market — mainly in the country’s four major metropolitan areas — in 2015,” the automakers said in a joint statement.

Thus, the companies plan to build at least 100 filling stations in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka by 2015 according to the AFP.

Recently, one of Toyota’s top R&D engineers claimed that Toyota fuel cell vehicle costs have declined from $1 million per vehicle to less than $100,000 per vehicle and that by 2015 costs should be reduced to $50,000.

Interestingly, Toyota’s hybrid advantage might pay off in fuel cells as well, as the same Hybrid Synergy Drive found in hybrids like the Prius is also found in Toyota’s fuel cell vehicles.