The chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen can produce clean electrical energy with no emissions except water vapour. Since 1992, we have been researching how to store this energy in a fuel cell that can drive a car long distances.

In 2002, we built the world’s first Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV), replacing the petrol engine in Toyota’s full hybrid system with the Toyota FC Stack – a fuel cell developed completely in-house.

Toyota’s next generation Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle, the FCHV-adv (advanced) offers a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to its predecessor, has a single fill-up cruising range of 830 kilometres, and will operate in temperatures as low as -30º Celsius.

Toyota has been leasing the latest model FCHV-adv to Japan’s Ministry of Environment and to other government bodies and energy-related companies since September 2008.

This road-testing programme is designed to secure real-world feedback on the FCHV-adv, helping to advance R&D and improve both the durability and costs linked to production of the vehicle’s high-performance polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the Toyota FC Stack.