Fuel cells • Finally ready for prime time?

Credit: Toyota/ Green Car Reports

Toyota claim their fuel cell vehicle will match Tesla on range & price in 2014. This still leaves a few questions unanswered:

• Judging from the photograph above, no competition on appearance. To be fair, it is a prototype, the production car may look very different.
• Performance? Tesla's Model S is a tough act to follow.

Time to take another look at the "fuel cell miracles".

If the product matches its hype, the first two (price & range) will have been answered to a degree. Matching the Tesla Model S on price & range is hardly record breaking. Although the S is a superlative vehicle, internal combustion engine vehicles do better on both price & range.

And the rest of the miracles? Price of hydrogen (energy cost as well as monetary cost), lack of fueling infrastructure & continuing improvements in competing technologies remain barriers to widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1085124_toyotas-fuel-cell-car-to-debut-in-tokyo-match-tesla-model-s-on-range-price

GM & Honda are getting cosy too

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1085153_gm-honda-latest-automakers-to-collaborate-on-fuel-cell-tech / buy fuel cell car similar range similar price Tesla Model S electric car EV electric vehicle Toyota customers Bloomberg reports report Japanese automaker fuel cell vehicle November Tokyo Motor Show new car expect expected debut 2014 2015 model year vehicle markets initially appear brand hydrogen fuel cell vehicle company badged Lexus sell $50,000 cost price ballpark Chris Hostetter U.S. group Vice President advanced product development reporters price competitive Tesla Model S just under $70,000 before incentives tank H2 hydrogen range around 300 miles suitable network fuel cell vehicles promises similar range Model S filling times regular gasoline diesel vehicles internal combustion engine ICE stylistically clues fuel cell car existing FCV-R concept new Prius around family resemblance green flagship green transport sector top automakers working fuel cell projects Toyota teamed up with BMW expedite reduce costs future development less convinced Elon Musk fool cells interview stupid theoretical theoretically most efficient best case does not compete Tesla Motors CEO LiIon lithium-ion cells optimum too hybrid technology five million cars hybrids guarantee fuel cells improvements groundbreaking compete /