- Toyota Introduces Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus
Toyota Motor Corporation has commenced the production and sale of hydrogen fuel cell bus called Sora that shares technology with the Mirai.
Sora is an acronym for Sky, Ocean, River, Air, representing the earth’s water cycle, an online auto journal, Motor1, reports.
The production volume is said to be very small as Toyota says that only over 100 units will be delivered in the Tokyo metropolitan area by 2020 for the Olympic Games.
Sora is equipped with two FC stacks – 114 kW each that provide electricity for the two 113 kW AC synchronous electric motors. For the small drive battery, Toyota is still using NiMH.
The 10.525m bus can accommodate 79 people (22 seated plus 56 standing with the driver).
Its range on the 10 tanks of hydrogen (600 litres working at 70MPa nominal pressure) is probably comparable to conventional buses.
Motor1 recalled that last year, Toyota launched the “Start Your Impossible” global corporate initiative to transform the company from an automobile company to a mobility service company.
This, it said, was guided by the company’s desire to contribute to the improvement and enhancement of customers’ lives and society as a whole through support of the creation of a more inclusive and sustainable society in which everyone feels inspired to challenge his or her impossible. In developing the Sora,
Toyota has sought to design buses that provide customers with freedom of mobility and become enduring town icons.
According to the report, Toyota aims to create a bus that works for and supports society, so the Toyota Fuel Cell System has been leveraged in the Sora for its environmental friendliness and ability to serve as a power source in the event of a disaster.
The bus features human-centric universal design and functions, reflecting Toyota’s desire that when riding the Sora, mobility no longer presents an impediment to customers challenging the impossible, which helps enable them to achieve their dreams.
The Sora offers the high environmental performance and the joy that is derived from the FC technology.
The Sora is equipped with a high-capacity external power output device, which can provide high output and a large capacity of electricity supply (9 kW maximum output, and electricity supply of 235 kWh*2) and has potential use as an emergency power source following disasters.
It has horizontal seats with an automatic storage mechanism. The Sora’s seats are automatically stored when not in use, improving comfort and convenience for passengers with strollers and wheelchairs as well as other passengers.
