Good news: Toyota has released final design images of its zero-emissions car, due to go on sale in 2015. Bad news: It’s fairly hideous.
Toyota has revealed the final design of its fuel-cell car, the Toyota FCV, and while it has plenty of positive points, style is not one of them. The boxy lines, narrow grille and high rear end have been developed to reduce overall drag, but we can’t imagine it appealing to many people blessed with the gift of sight.
Those that can get past the slightly unorthodox design will find a car that offers plenty of potential benefits. Hydrogen fuel vehicles offer the zero-emissions benefits of battery electric vehicles with the convention and convenience of filling up at the garage. The fuel could prove a good alternative to battery electric cars, which usually take several hours to charge to full and usually have a limited driving range of around 100 miles.
The Toyota FCV will only take three minutes to refuel and has a range of around 420 miles on one tank of hydrogen.
It’s fair to say very few people will own a Toyota FCV — at least in the early days of its release. The car is expected to cost around £70,000 on the road and refueling infrastructure is limted to say the least. Currently London has two refuelling stations, though this is expected to be extended to six by the end of 2015, according to UK H2 Mobility, a collaborative project evaluating the potential for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the UK.
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