Toyota and BMW Strengthen Partnership for Fuel Cell Vehicles
Key Ideas
- Toyota is supplying key components like tanks and fuel cells to BMW for their fuel cell vehicles, as part of their extended collaboration.
- BMW is testing a fuel-cell vehicle in Japan and plans to launch a mass-produced model with components from Toyota, aiming to promote FCVs.
- Fuel-cell vehicles, also known as FCVs, use hydrogen to generate electricity, emitting no carbon dioxide during operation, offering long cruising distances and quick refueling times.
- The collaboration between Toyota and BMW aims to lower production costs to make FCVs more competitive compared to other vehicle types.
Toyota Motor and BMW are deepening their collaboration on fuel cell vehicles, with Toyota supplying crucial components like tanks and fuel cells to BMW. This partnership, initiated in 2012, involves joint development of hydrogen tanks, motors, and other basic systems for fuel-cell vehicles. BMW is currently testing a fuel-cell vehicle in Japan and aims to launch a mass-produced model that incorporates components from Toyota, with plans to sign a formal agreement in early September. Fuel-cell vehicles, also called FCVs, operate by using hydrogen to produce electricity, ensuring zero carbon dioxide emissions while offering comparable cruising ranges to gasoline-powered cars and fast refueling times. Despite their benefits, FCVs are costlier than other vehicle types. Toyota and BMW are focusing on enhancing collaboration to drive down production costs and promote FCVs as an eco-friendly alternative to plug-in and hybrid electric vehicles.