Thread: Toyota, Honda given green light for fuel-cell cars
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Old Jun 17, 2005 | 03:13 PM
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Default Toyota, Honda given green light for fuel-cell cars
Toyota and Honda were given the the go-ahead from Japan's transport authorities to market certain types of fuel-cell cars without limitation.

The two Japanese carmakers said they would aim to lease the environmentally friendly no-emission compact vehicles while stepping up efforts to lower costs for mass production in the future.

Honda Motor Co. said its FCX fuel-cell cars cost "hundreds of millions of yen" apiece at present. A hundred million yen is worth about 920,000 dollars.

Honda's FCX and Toyota's FCHV received "type certification", a seal of approval by the transport ministry for a certain type of vehicle, the two firms said.

These models had to be previously certified unit by unit by the ministry for sale.

But the ministry set safety standards in March for cars using compressed hydrogen gas and the two types were the first to clear the hurdles.

Hybrid cars are equipped with an electric motor and a standard petrol engine, making them much more economical and environment-friendly than conventional gasoline engines.

The fuel cell produces electricity through a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which leaves water as its only by-product.

Aside from being good for the environment, the main advantage of the fuel-cell battery is its very long life -- up to four or five times that of conventional dry-cell batteries.

Toyota said its FCHV cars, which can run 330 kilometers (206 miles) without refueling, would be leased to public offices as well as energy-related companies starting in July.

One of them will be leased to the Ministry of the Environment for 1,050,000 yen (9,600 dollars) a month.

The top Japanese carmaker has already leased 11 FCHV units in Japan and five in the United States.

Honda said it had delivered 19 FCX fuel-cell vehicles, which can run 430 kilometers (270 miles) without refueling, in Japan and the United States since December 2002.

"It is an ultimate car that suits the environment," said senior Honda researcher Yozo Kami. "I believe the fuel-cell car will be absolutely necessary."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050617...a_050617170526
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