Bus riders in Japan are about to experience something incredible. Starting in 2017, Toyota will begin introducing hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses in the Tokyo area. By the time the Tokyo Olympics begin in 2020, Toyota plans to have at least 100 of these vehicles in service.1

These buses are part of Toyota’s continuing commitment to promoting hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles. The first step on this journey began in 2014 when the company introduced the Toyota Mirai, one of the first commercially-available fuel cell vehicles in the world.

Each of Toyota’s new hydrogen-powered buses can fit 76 passengers, and is powered by an onboard fuel cell stack that powers a pair of 152 horsepower (114-kilowatt) electric motors. Additional power is generated by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack.2

In addition to being used for transportation, Toyota has also announced that their new buses can be used as backup power sources, discharging power at a rate of 9 kilowatts. Along with providing transportation, these vehicles will also be used to provide emergency power during natural disasters.

Toyota’s new hydrogen buses are only part of a new wave of innovation taking place in Japan. The country’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has called for a future “hydrogen society,” where hydrogen fuel cells power not only buses but buildings and infrastructure as well.

In response to their country’s call, and the demands of the international community for cleaner vehicles and reduced greenhouse gases, Toyota has taken up the challenge of making hydrogen fuel cells the clean, zero-emission power source of the future.

Public transportation isn’t the only recent beneficiary of Toyota’s hydrogen power experiments. Along with the new line of fuel cell buses, the company is also developing hydrogen-powered forklifts and fuel cells that can be used to power individual homes.

While Toyota has not announced plans to introduce its fuel cell buses outside the Tokyo area, this bold experiment with hydrogen power could well be the first step in an exciting new era. If the Tokyo Olympic buses are a success, expect to see Toyota – and its competitors – put even more weight behind developing fuel cell technology.

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1. http://www.autotrackng.com/toyota-to-start-sales-of-fuel-cell-buses-from-early-2017/

2. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1106850_toyota-to-launch-fuel-cell-buses-next-year-for-olympics

Summary

In the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Toyota will introduce more than 100 hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Learn about this innovative idea here.