Toyota to start sales of fuel cell buses under the Toyota brand

(October 22, 2016) TOYOTA CITY, Japan ―Toyota will begin selling fuel cell buses under the Toyota brand in early 2017. Having already undergone repeated field tests for practical use, the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to utilize two of these fuel cell buses on fixed routes.

Toyota plans to introduce over 100 fuel cell buses mainly in the Tokyo area, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In view of this, the fuel cell buses will be sold for the first time in Japan to help increase the level of understanding by the general public of fuel cell buses as a form of public transportation.

In preparation for the Games, the number of fuel cell buses being introduced will increase steadily.

The Toyota Fuel Cell System, which was developed for the Mirai fuel cell vehicle now on sale, has been adopted to provide better energy efficiency in comparison to internal combustion engines, as well as to deliver superior environmental performance with no CO2 emissions.

The bus uses a high-capacity external power supply system. With a power supply capable of a 9 kW2 maximum output, and a large capacity of electricity supply at 235 kWh3, the fuel cell bus can be used as a power source in the event of disasters, such as at evacuation sites such as school gymnasiums. And its electricity supply can also be harnessed for home electric appliance use.

The Toyota Group considers the use of hydrogen to be a powerful source of energy for the future. Toyota has released the Mirai fuel cell, while also engaging in the technological and product development of fuel cell buses, fuel cell forklifts, as well as stationary fuel cells for use in homes. Going forward, the group will accelerate development so as to contribute to the realization of a hydrogen-based society.