Toyota has opened sales for its first hydrogen fuel cell bus, the Sora, in Japan, according to a new press release. This new model represents the first hydrogen fuel cell bus to receive vehicle type certification in the country.
The company has revealed in the past that it is aiming to have at least 100 hydrogen fuel cell buses on the roads of Tokyo by the time of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The new Toyota Sora bus model is reportedly based on much the same technology as that used in the company’s hydrogen fuel cell car, the Mirai — that technology being the sensibly named Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS).
Green Car Congress provides some more information: “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) and has potential use as an emergency power source following disasters.
“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. Eight high-definition cameras fitted inside and outside the vehicle detect pedestrians and bicyclists around the bus providing a field of vision support camera system. When at bus stops, the system warns the driver of surrounding pedestrians and bicyclists through sound notifications and images thereby improving safety.”
System output is 113 kW times two, via two 113 kW electric drivetrains. The bus is ultimately being powered by two 114 kW fuel-cell stacks and a 600-liter hydrogen fuel storage tank (with fuel stored at 70 MPa).
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