The star of Toyota’s exhibit at the 2018 Washington Auto Show is the FCR, for Fine Comfort Ride, a fuel cell concept car that refuels in three minutes and has a range of 400 miles. The only emissions are heat and water vapor that is clean enough to drink, said Tom Stricker, vice president product regulatory affairs.
The FCR has in-wheel electric motors that are very quiet. Toyota refers to the car as “a personal mobililty assistant on wheels,” with its artificial intelligence functions and touch displays, Stricker said.
Toyota is taking a portfolio approach to its eco-friendly new vehicles, offering hybrid electric cars, plug-in EVs, battery EVs and fuel cell vehicles (Toyota previously brought its Mirai fuel cell car to the Washington Auto Show). The FCR’s refueling technology is scalable, Stricker said. Toyota is testing it on a semi tractor-trailer.
Hybrids make up 9 percent of the Toyota/Lexus lineup and will be more than 20 percent by 2020, said Stricker. By 2025, every Toyota or Lexus model will be an EV or have an EV option. Toyota is also working on expanding battery recycling, plug-in EV stations and hydrogen refueling stations.
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