Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) announce that they will provide a fuel-cell hybrid bus for a commercial bus route between central Tokyo and Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) run by Airport Transport Service Co., Ltd. (“Airport Transport Service”).
The provision is in response to a request from the Research Association of Hydrogen Supply/Utilization Technology (HySUT), a participant in the Hydrogen Highway Project. The Hydrogen Highway Project is a part of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)’s Demonstration Program for Establishing a Hydrogen-based Social System.
TMC and Hino will modify their jointly developed “FCHV-BUS” fuel-cell hybrid bus to airport-route specifications and lease it to HySUT, and HySUT will outsource operation of the bus to Airport Transport Service. Starting on December 16, the bus will make one round trip per day on a route between Shinjuku Station’s West Exit and Haneda Airport and on one between Tokyo City Air Terminal and Haneda Airport.
The bus will be fueled with hydrogen at Tokyo Suginami Hydrogen Station in central Tokyo and Haneda Hydrogen Station in Haneda; both facilities are to begin operations on December 15.
TMC and Hino plan to analyze data from the operations of the bus and, with a mind toward practical application of fuel-cell hybrid buses, to proceed with further research and development.
Outline of the FCHV-BUS
Development
TMC and Hino both brought their own technologies and expertise to the development of the vehicle, with TMC responsible for developing the fuel cell system and Hino the body, including the chassis.
The vehicle, with the same specifications as the fuel-cell hybrid bus currently in operation in the vicinity of Central Japan International Airport, has been revamped inside and out, and features necessary for the route operations are being added.
Main Features
The bus is fitted with an electric-motor hybrid system powered by batteries and fuel cells, and is fueled with high-pressure hydrogen gas. During operation, the vehicle does not emit carbon dioxide, said to be a cause of global warming, or any other atmospheric pollutant such as nitrogen oxide; it is both highly energy-efficient and very quiet.
Reference
To mark the start of operations of the Hydrogen Highway Project, HySUT plans to hold a ceremony near Haneda Airport Terminal 2’s bus stops at 11:30 on December 15.
