When European car companies are almost "all in" pure electric, Toyota, the world's largest car group by sales, has given a different answer. Toyota insists on all-round electrification layout, including the balanced development of HEV, PHEV, BEV and FCEV technologies.
The International Commission on Hydrogen Energy previously predicted that in 2050, hydrogen energy will take up 18% of global energy demand, and fuel cell vehicles will account for 20-25% of global automobiles.
However, to some extent, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are also experiencing a similar development process to electric vehicles, and the basic supporting facilities have not yet reached the conditions of full marketization and commercial operation.
Generally speaking, the layout of domestic hydrogen fuel cell products is relatively scarce at present, and Toyota's transformation ideas are just of reference significance.
Technical iteration of keeping pace with the times
Toyota is the first entrant in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology.
As early as 1992, Toyota started the research and development work in the field of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. After that, through continuous technological innovation, it has greatly improved the power density, hydrogen bottle quality, battery cell durability and mass production quality.
In 20 14, Toyota launched the world's first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell model Mirai. At the end of 2020, the second generation Mirai went public. The new car expands the number of hydrogen storage tanks from two to three, thus increasing the hydrogen carrying capacity from 4.6kg to 5.6kg, and achieving the maximum cruising range of WLTC of about 850km, which is about 30% higher than the previous generation.
Technical strength has helped Toyota get good results and reputation. Mirai has sold more than10,000 units, which has been recognized by the public in terms of safety.
In the second half of 2002 100kw, Toyota realized that100KW commercial vehicle FC system was put into the market, and strived to surpass 150kw in 2023.
It is noteworthy that Toyota has planned a clear route in the China market, and at the same time, it is constantly accumulating strength in the technical level of hydrogen fuel cells.
China, head of Toyota Motor Corporation and chairman and general manager of Toyota China, said: "Toyota's technical route is highly consistent with the concept of the China government, promoting the use of electricity and hydrogen energy, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout the life cycle, and promoting green and low-carbon development according to local conditions."
More specifically, in the commercial vehicle field, FCEV business including infrastructure construction will be promoted, while the passenger vehicle field will promote the balanced development of BEV, PHEV and HEV.
In the process of project promotion, especially the promotion of FCEV, Toyota also tried to make changes in the China market.
Dong Zeng, senior executive deputy general manager of Toyota China, said: "Toyota's development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is a summary of the experience of promoting hybrid power in China. President Toyota believes that if we could share hybrid power with China's partner * * * more than ten years ago, maybe the development level will be better now. "
Therefore, Toyota chooses to cooperate with more China partners.
United Fuel Cell System Research and Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (FCRD) was established in 2020, which is the result of cooperation between Toyota and FAW, Dongfeng, GAC, BAIC and Yihuatong.
In 1 year after the establishment of the new company, the commercial vehicle 100kW system (TL Power 100) based on the second generation Mirai system was completed, which was produced and sold by Huafeng Fuel Cell Company (FCTS), another joint venture company of Toyota in China.
According to the plan, the first product of FCTS was put into the China market last year, and it is planned to formally put into production the fuel cell system and stack in Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone in 2023.
In order to promote the research and popularization of hydrogen fuel cells in China, Toyota also signed a contract with Reshaping Technology to develop fuel cell systems for commercial vehicles.
With the arrival of more electrified products, while promoting the construction of hydrogen fuel cells in China, Toyota's own insistence on the hydrogen energy route will surely bear fruit, and Toyota's transformation ideas will also become a model.
Beyond the gentleness of technological change
Regarding the choice of a brand-new track, for car companies, risks and benefits coexist. In this process, more car companies will try to tell a good story as usual to win the favor of the public.
Toyota is different, but it is really engaged in the field of travel services about environmental protection and humanities.
Toyota has always emphasized that environmental protection technology can really contribute to the environment only if it is popularized. Therefore, while engaging in hydrogen energy technology innovation, Toyota put forward a new direction of transformation from automobile manufacturer to mobile travel service provider five years ago.
With the goal of "helping China to achieve carbon neutrality with environmental protection technology", we will provide services to all people including athletes in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games through new generation mobile travel modes such as welfare vehicles, smart connected vehicles and new energy vehicles.
According to statistics, Toyota provided 2,205 official vehicles, most of which were sold by FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota, including hybrid vehicles and pure electric vehicles. Including 65,438+040 second-generation Mirai and 65,438+007 Costa hydrogen engines (including 2 welfare vehicles).
It is worth mentioning that the Costa hydrogen engine is developed by Toyota R&D Center (China) Co., Ltd. and produced by Sichuan FAW Toyota. This is also the first time that Toyota has realized the "localization" of hydrogen fuel cell technology from research and development to production overseas. Kostar hydrogen engine Fufu Car is a product designed, developed and provided by Toyota according to the actual needs of athletes. It uses the way that the back door opens to get on and off automatically, so that athletes in wheelchairs can get on and off quickly without getting off the wheelchair, which truly reflects Toyota's humanistic care for specific people.
The technical advantage is that the Costa hydrogen engine can be started normally at the low temperature of -30℃, and the dynamic characteristics of high torque output ensure the stable driving on the slippery mountain road with high slope.
Among the transportation service vehicles in this competition, energy-saving and clean energy vehicles account for 100% of passenger cars and 85.84% of all vehicles. According to the formula of the Economic and Information Bureau, the cumulative mileage of Toyota FCEV models is 397 104km, and the total hydrogen consumption is about 1 1.098kg, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1 13737.44kg.
In addition to the complicated road conditions, it is also necessary to deal with the snow and ice weather, which puts more stringent requirements on the reliability and dynamic performance of electric vehicles, especially hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Toyota FCEV is obviously very powerful and popular.
Write it at the end
In fact, FCEV has many advantages, such as zero pollution and continuous driving.