Toyota Develops Car that Runs on Zero-Emission Fuel Cells

10/07/96

Reuters has reported that Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation announced that it had developed an electric car that runs on a fuel cell that produces no toxic emissions. Toyota says that the car harnesses electricity generated by a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell, and the only by-product of the reaction is water vapor. Fuel cells were originally designed to power space craft.

A spokeswoman for Toyota said the new car was a prototype modeled on the company's RAV4L V recreational vehicle, and that it was not clear when the vehicle might hit the market.

German company Daimler-Benz announced the world's first fuel cell-powered car last May. At that time, Mercedes said that fuel cell technology offered the auto industry the most realistic hope for the mass-production of a pollution-free vehicle.

Toyota announced that the energy conversion efficiency of its new fuel cell system is over 60 percent--between two and three times the efficiency of conventional gasoline engines.

Toyota currently markets another an electric car that runs off nickel-metal hydride batteries and sells for about $44,500. Toyota's spokeswoman said the company would consider the new car commercially viable if it could manufacture and sell the vehicle for around the same price.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel