Facing off against compact crossover EVs from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, and of course Tesla, the Toyota badge on the nose of the bZ4X may be enough for many buyers. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X electric SUV made its public debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles auto show, one of several EVs unveiled at a… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "toyota hydrogen"
Toyota actively lobbies against support for EVs
Toyota has earned a place in the history of transport electrification. The Japanese automaker’s introduction of the Prius hybrid in 1997 was a milestone. Since then, the company has sold some 15 million hybrids worldwide, and has gradually added hybrid powertrains to more of its offerings—a majority of Toyota and Lexus models are now available… Read more »
Who’s behind the current wave of hype about hydrogen?
Hydrogen fuel cells are controversial—several automakers, including Daimler, Honda, GM and Volkswagen, have abandoned the technology, while Toyota continues to pursue it. Hydrogen opponents cite its inefficiency relative to batteries, and question the wisdom of building a complex and costly new infrastructure. On the other hand, many believe that hydrogen may have a role to… Read more »
Government of Canada launches Hydrogen Strategy
Most automakers may have rejected hydrogen as an energy storage medium for passenger vehicles (Toyota is the notable exception), but the technology may yet find applications for industrial processes, and in other forms of transportation such as aviation and shipping. Some envision the lightest element as a medium to store energy from intermittent renewable sources,… Read more »
Toyota announces new EV platform, revamped version of fuel cell-powered Mirai
Toyota has announced that it will someday release a preview of a possible electric SUV for the European market. Details are “to be announced in the coming months.” The unnamed “preview model” will be based on Toyota’s new e-TNGA platform. The new platform is designed to be easily adaptable for a range of vehicle types—some… Read more »
Daimler becomes the latest automaker to abandon hydrogen-powered passenger cars
Mercedes-Benz has ended its development of fuel cell-powered passenger cars, saying that they would be too expensive—around double the cost to produce of comparable battery-electric vehicles. The company has been working on fuel cell technology for over 30 years. Mercedes says it will wind down production of the GLC F-Cell, which was developed in a… Read more »
BMW reveals details of hydrogen fuel cell powertrain system
Different automakers have different visions of the low-emissions future, to say the least. Just a few days after the Volkswagen Group released an article explaining why it has abandoned hydrogen fuel cells in favor of battery-electric powertrains, BMW has “reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to hydrogen fuel cell powertrain system technology.” Unlike VW, BMW is leaving… Read more »
Honda turns up the voltage in Europe: another new EV, no more diesels, no more hydrogen
Red-blooded Americans were disappointed at Honda’s announcement that its new Honda E city car will not be coming to the US, but we have to compliment the company on its electrifying plans for the European market. The E is scheduled to go on sale on the Continent in summer 2020 with a $33,000 price tag,… Read more »
Toyota confirms it will develop EVs
Toyota will set up a special team in early 2017 to develop EVs, according to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper (via Reuters). The four-person team will include representatives from Toyota Motor, Aisin Seiki, Denso and Toyota Industries, with instructions to develop a long-range EV that will go on sale in 2020 in Japan, and possibly in California… Read more »
Toyota exec sneers at Tesla for having electric eggs in one basket
Despite the best efforts of EV journalists to keep the peace, the battery and hydrogen teams are squaring off for a smackdown. In one corner, Tesla’s Elon Musk, who continues to deride the efficiency and practicality drawbacks of what he calls “fool cells.” In the other corner, Toyota, whose Lexus subsidiary runs ads ridiculing battery-electric… Read more »