Toyota Motor (TMC) and Hino announced that the hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid FCHV-BUS, which operated on public routes in mid-March around the Central Japan International Airport (Centrair) south of Nagoya (earlier post), is to renew operation on 22 July, including expanded service to and within the airport. The effort is part of a fuel cell demonstration program of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s (METI) Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC) and is intended to provide Toyota and others with data necessary for the commercialization of fuel cell hybrid buses. Toyota and Hino jointly developed the FCHV-BUS, with Toyota developing the fuel cell hybrid system and Hino the vehicle body and other components of the bus. The FCHV bus uses twin fuel cell stacks and traction motors combined with a version of Toyota’s THS-II hybrid drive and management systems (used in the Prius). Full Article
