Hydrogen Hurdles: Hydrogen-powered Car Makers Suffer from High Prices, Lack of Infrastructure | BusinessKorea

e big two auto makers that seek to dominate the hydrogen-powered car market, Hyundai Motor and Toyota, are struggling to expand supply.

Even though hydrogen-powered vehicles have enough potential to be called the “ultimate eco-friendly car,” they have difficulties in spreading due to high cost and a lack of proper infrastructure. In particular, Hyundai Motor is suffering more because of less government funding in comparison with Japan.

According to industry sources, Toyota currently sells the Mirai fuel cell vehicle at a price of US$57,500 (62.34 million won) in the U.S. It is almost twice as expensive as an average medium-sized sedan. When leasing the Mirai, consumers should pay US$499 (540,000 won) a month. Based on the lease price, it is almost three times higher than that of Toyota’s new Corolla.

Hyundai Motor sells the Tucson ix for 85 million won (US$76,937) in the domestic market. The company lowered its price by 43.3 percent from the previous price of 150 million won (US$135,771). However, individual customers do not purchase the model, since they cannot receive subsidies from the government. The Tucson ix is available at the price of US$499 (551,295 won) a month with a deposit of US$2,999 (3.31 million won) in the U.S.

via Hydrogen Hurdles: Hydrogen-powered Car Makers Suffer from High Prices, Lack of Infrastructure | BusinessKorea.

via Hydrogen Hurdles: Hydrogen-powered Car Makers Suffer from High Prices, Lack of Infrastructure | BusinessKorea.

Why hydrogen cars in the US are going to fail

There has been a lot of hoopla about hydrogen cars recently and how they are the alternative to both gasoline and battery cars. Let us look at a sample H2 car, the Mirai. This is the poster child for the H2 car, it’s the best of the best in terms of being a hydrogen sipper.

via Why hydrogen cars in the US are going to fail.

via Why hydrogen cars in the US are going to fail.

Fuel Sell: Fill ‘er Up With Room-Temp Hydrogen – Technologue

A catalyst heated to 340-375 degrees F (by burning some formic acid) and using less noble metals than in your current catalytic converter breaks the formic acid into hydrogen, CO2, and trace CO. Carbon monoxide is toxic to proton-exchange-mem­brane fuel cells, so another catalyst converts the CO to CO2, and the H2 powers the fuel cell. (A carbon adsorber that would prevent CO2 release is in R&D.) Patent-holder Neah Power has also patented a fuel cell that runs directly on liquid formic acid but says using the reformer to make H2 for use in conventional fuel cells (or engines) is more efficient.

via Fuel Sell: Fill ‘er Up With Room-Temp Hydrogen – Technologue.

via Fuel Sell: Fill ‘er Up With Room-Temp Hydrogen – Technologue.

Japan Makes a Big Bet on the Hydrogen Economy : Greentech Media

Japan is looking to promote fuel cells on two fronts: automobiles and residential storage.

Jason Deign

February 10, 2015

Japan’s push to develop hydrogen storage technologies may get a boost from Toyota’s decision to give away its fuel-cell patents.

The auto giant offered up nearly 6,000 fuel-cell patents last month “to increase performance, reduce costs, and attract a much broader market of buyers,” said Toyota senior vice president Robert Carter.

Toyota, which leads the hybrid auto sector with the Prius, began selling its first fuel-cell car, the Mirai (which means “future” in Japanese), in Japan last December. It plans to make the $57,500 sedan available in California and selected European markets later this year.

The patent giveaway could be interpreted as a bid to head off a competitive threat from Tesla, which is betting on battery technology and has also opened up its intellectual property assets to third parties.

via Japan Makes a Big Bet on the Hydrogen Economy : Greentech Media.

via Japan Makes a Big Bet on the Hydrogen Economy : Greentech Media.

Is This the Car of Our Future? | Stewart Wolpin

I discovered the Mirai at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Even though its name could have been a bit flashier (what about the Kaze, Japanese for wind? Or, the Mizu, Japanese for water? Or Suiso, Japanese for hydrogen), Mirai was more than just the coolest thing I saw at the show. It and the hydrogen car may very well be the future of the automobile.

Toyota’s Altruism

Mirai isn’t a one-off. Toyota is as serious as a lightning strike on a courthouse about advancing what it calls the coming “hydrogen society.” How serious? It’s giving away 98 percent of the patents for the hydrogen fuel cells, tanks, computer controls and refilling stations in the hopes that other car makers will join the hydrogen revolution.

If you can’t wait until October, you can lease a hydrogen car, referred to in the industry as fuel cell vehicles (FCV), right now, thanks to Toyota’s patent altruism: the Hyundai Tucson leases for $499 a month. Mercedes ended its pilot lease program and is now taking applications to buy a pre-owned B-class F-CELL hydrogen car.

via Is This the Car of Our Future? | Stewart Wolpin.

via Is This the Car of Our Future? | Stewart Wolpin.

Hyundai Slashes Price Of Tucson FCEV By $100,000 – Gas 2

Citing “dismal sales,” Hyundai has slashed the price of its Tucson FCEV by over $100,000 in the home market. The car originally sold for $179,509, but Korean customers can now buy one for the low, low price of only $77,189. “We decided to slash the car’s price, even if we make a loss, because we can’t make further investments or expand infrastructure amid dismal sales,” said Hyundai in a statement on February 2nd, reports Reuters.

Most of the reason for those dismal sales can be traced to the fact that there is currently only one hydrogen refueling station in all of Korea. The Korean government is sympathetic to Hyundai’s plight and promises more hydrogen station by 2025, but that may be too little too late.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government says it will have 100 hydrogen stations up and running by the end of this year, and many, many more filling stations in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Toyota’s FCEV, the Mirai, is priced at $56, 934, which is still $20,000 less than the Tucson FVEV, even after the price cut. Both cars lease in the US for $499 a month. The Tucson cannot be sold to a retail customer but a buyer for the Mirai can purchase one outright for $57,400.

Hyundai seems to have done everything wrong in its quest to become a player in the hydrogen car market.

via Hyundai Slashes Price Of Tucson FCEV By $100,000 – Gas 2.

via Hyundai Slashes Price Of Tucson FCEV By $100,000 – Gas 2.

Energy expert weighs in on Toyota’s ambitious fuel cell hydrogen car plans – GeekWire

Toyota must also develop a way to build hydrogen refueling stations across the U.S. With the help of state grants, Toyota said that it will have 20 stations in California by the end of 2015, and 48 by the end of 2016. There is also work being done on the East Coast, as Toyota is working with Air Liquide to help finance the construction of 12 stations in northeastern states. Toyota said it only takes five minutes to refuel the Mirai.

via Energy expert weighs in on Toyota’s ambitious fuel cell hydrogen car plans – GeekWire.

via Energy expert weighs in on Toyota’s ambitious fuel cell hydrogen car plans – GeekWire.

Hyundai pins its hopes on hydrogen-INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

At the show, Toyota described the Mirai, meaning future in Japanese, as “the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell car that has mileage of up to 650 kilometers on one charge.”

Hyundai Motor became the world’s first automaker to commercialize a fuel-cell car in April last year with the introduction of the fuel-cell version of its popular Tucson ix.

Toyota introduced the Mirai as the world’s first de facto fuel-cell model because Hyundai’s Tucson ix Fuel Cell has only sold 26 units.

Toyota commercialized the Mirai in the Japanese market at the end of last year, and has already had sales of about 1,500 units.

via Hyundai pins its hopes on hydrogen-INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily.

via Hyundai pins its hopes on hydrogen-INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily.

Test drive: Hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai cruises 300 miles, costs $45K – can your EV do that? | ExtremeTech

Most EVs give out after 75 miles. The Toyota Mirai hydrogen-to-electricity fuel cell car is the Energizer Bunny of electrically driven cars — it’s good for as much as 300 miles. A test drive shows the Mirai is quick if not cat-quick, with room for four and luggage, and unmistakable in looks. Best of all, it will be available this year for less than $45,000, factoring in government incentives.

via Test drive: Hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai cruises 300 miles, costs $45K – can your EV do that? | ExtremeTech.

via Test drive: Hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai cruises 300 miles, costs $45K – can your EV do that? | ExtremeTech.

Toyota seeks more hydrogen fuel cell cars for USA | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

Mirai will comes to the USA in October. It is expected to be a small-volume vehicle, another chance to get closer to a mainstream hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that has no emissions other than water vapor.

Carter says timing is right for Mirai. Its fuel cell costs 95% less than earlier generations, and is now the size of a suitcase

via Toyota seeks more hydrogen fuel cell cars for USA | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com.

via Toyota seeks more hydrogen fuel cell cars for USA | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com.

Toyota to step up production of hydrogen-powered Mirai cars | Derby Telegraph

TOYOTA has announced that it will increase production of a hydrogen-powered car because of higher-than-expected demand.

The firm, which has its UK manufacturing plant in Burnaston, had initially planned to build 400 Mirai cars this year.

The plan will see production increase from 700 units this year to 2,000 next year and 3,000 in 2017.

via Toyota to step up production of hydrogen-powered Mirai cars | Derby Telegraph.

via Toyota to step up production of hydrogen-powered Mirai cars | Derby Telegraph.

This Technology Could Finally Make Hydrogen Cars Affordable | TakePart

There’s just one catch: It costs $57,500 before rebates and tax incentives. Not as pricey as a Tesla Motors’ Model S luxury sports sedan, but not exactly mass-market either—though the car can travel 300 miles on a tank of hydrogen.

That high price point could change if scientists succeed in developing a new type of fuel cell that does not require the use of platinum, a precious metal that is the most expensive part of the device and one of the main reasons Toyota will lose an estimated $100,000 for every Mirai it sells.

via This Technology Could Finally Make Hydrogen Cars Affordable | TakePart.

via This Technology Could Finally Make Hydrogen Cars Affordable | TakePart.

Toyota Delivers First Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle to Japanese Prime Minister [w/Video]

The first man to take delivery of the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. During a ceremony on January 15 in Tokyo, Toyota president Akio Toyoda delivered the first Mirai fuel cell sedan to the high-ranking state official.

via Toyota Delivers First Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle to Japanese Prime Minister [w/Video].

via Toyota Delivers First Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle to Japanese Prime Minister [w/Video].