Technical Development
HV and FC
|
Year
|
Month |
Technology developed and applied
|
Applicable Vehicle
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
1977
|
|
Toyota Sports 800 Gas Turbine Hybrid concept vehicle, the starting point for Toyota's development of hybrid vehicles, exhibited at the 22nd Tokyo Motor Show
|
Toyota Sports 800, Gas Turbine Hybrid
|
|
1992
|
September 25
|
EV Development Division established inside Toyota Development Center 3, consolidating the electric vehicle development departments that had existed among various engineering divisions into one organization, with the goal of developing technology that will meet U.S. State of California zero emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations due to go into effect in 1998
|
|
|
October
|
Project for developing fuel cells for passenger cars launched
|
|
|
|
1993
|
February
|
Townace EV launched; decision made to deliver 42 units to public agencies
|
Townace
|
|
March 1
|
Electric vehicle version of the Crown Majesta delivered to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
|
Crown Majesta EV
|
|
|
March
|
BRVF Dept. established within the Research and Development Group for promoting development of hybrid-related technologies
|
|
|
|
1995
|
July 3
|
RAV4 EV monitoring program commenced
|
RAV4 EV
|
|
August 5
|
RAV4 EV equipped with a nickel-metal hydride battery wins the First Scandinavian Electric Car Rally, the world's first EV race
|
RAV4 EV
|
|
|
1996
|
January 22
|
Road testing commenced of the RAV4 EV equipped with an advanced nickel-metal hydride battery
|
RAV4 EV
|
|
October
|
RAV4 EV-based FCEV(1) fuel cell electric vehicle unveiled in parade on the Midosuji Boulevard in Osaka
|
|
|
|
1997
|
March 25
|
Toyota Hybrid System announced
|
|
|
April
|
Research and Development Group's BRVF Dept. merged into the EV Development Division, establishing the new Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Engineering Division
|
|
|
|
August 22
|
Coaster Hybrid EV launched
|
Coaster Hybrid EV
|
|
|
October 6
|
RAV4 EV launched
|
RAV4 EV
|
|
|
October 14
|
The Prius developed
|
Prius
|
|
|
October 15
|
The Prius exhibited at the 32nd Tokyo Motor Show
|
Prius
|
|
|
October
|
FCEV(2) announced at the Tokyo Motor Show
|
FCEV(2)
|
|
|
December 4
|
Letter of intent signed by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and China's State Science and Technology Commission on the EV Project for carrying out test runs and evaluating electric vehicles in China
|
|
|
|
1998
|
March
|
BRFE Dept. established
|
|
|
July 14
|
Plan announced to sell the Prius in North America and Europe in 2000
|
Prius
|
|
|
September 16
|
Plan announced to begin operating an EV commuter system internally in the spring of 2000, using the e-com compact EV commuter
|
e-com
|
|
|
1999
|
April 5
|
EV commuter system Crayon developed
|
Crayon
|
|
June
|
FC System Development Division established
|
|
|
|
October 8
|
THS-C announced at the Third Toyota Environmental Forum
|
THS-C
|
|
|
October 8
|
Nickel-metal hydride battery developed jointly with Panasonic EV Energy, as the drive battery for hybrid vehicles
|
|
|
|
October 13
|
Plan announced to exhibit the HV-M4 concept vehicle at the 33rd Tokyo Motor Show
|
HV-M4
|
|
|
November 29
|
RAV4 EV with new inductive charging system launched
|
RAV4 EV
|
|
|
2000
|
January
|
BRFC Production Engineering Department established, commencing full-scale development of production technologies related to fuel cells
|
|
|
May 25
|
Partially redesigned Prius launched
|
Prius
|
|
|
July
|
Joint development of a stationary fuel cell cogeneration system with Aisin Seiki commenced
|
|
|
|
October
|
Plan announced to participate in the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP)
|
|
|
|
|
Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technical Development Organization (NEDO) commences its Millennium project for establishing codes and standards for the popularization of polymer electrolyte fuel cell systems
|
|
|
|
2001
|
March
|
FCHV-3 fuel cell vehicle announced
|
FCHV-3
|
|
June 12
|
Development of THS-M announced
|
|
|
|
June 15
|
New Estima Hybrid developed and launched
|
Estima Hybrid
|
|
|
June
|
FCHV-BUS1 fuel cell hybrid bus announced
|
FCHV-BUS1
|
|
|
June
|
FCHV-4 fuel cell vehicle certified for use on public roads by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
|
FCHV-4
|
|
|
August 20
|
THS-M installed in the Crown Royal Saloon as the world's first mild-hybrid system in a production vehicle
|
Crown Royal Saloon
|
|
|
August
|
Toyota succeeds in a test run of the world's first on-board gasoline-reforming fuel cell vehicle
|
|
|
|
October
|
FCHV-5 fuel cell vehicle announced
|
FCHV-5
|
|
|
2002
|
January
|
Fuel Cell System Development Center, housing the Fuel Cell R&D Management Department, Fuel Cell System Development Division and Fuel Cell Production Engineering Division, established
|
|
|
July 1
|
After one year of testing on public roads, decision made to start limited sales of fuel cell vehicles in Japan and the U.S. by around the end of 2002, earlier than originally planned
|
|
|
|
August 6
|
Partially modified Prius launched
|
Prius
|
|
|
September 27
|
FCHV-BUS2 certified for use on public roads by the MLIT
|
FCHV-BUS2
|
|
|
October 4
|
THS-M-installed Crown Sedan Super Deluxe launched
|
Crown
|
|
|
November 18
|
FCHV certified for use on public roads by MLIT; limited sales commenced December 2
|
FCHV
|
|
|
December 25
|
Vitz (with CVT) launched with Toyota Intelligent Idling Stop System
|
Vitz
|
|
|
|
Participation commenced in Phase 1 of the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC-1) of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
|
|
|
|
2003
|
April 17
|
Development of THS II new-generation hybrid system announced
|
THS II
|
|
May 13
|
Six FCHVs sold in only Japan
|
FCHV
|
|
|
June 18
|
EPT Building completed; Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Engineering Div. and Fuel Cell System Engineering Div. move in from Engineering Div.
|
|
|
|
June
|
TMC and Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd (Aisin Seiki) exhibit stationary fuel cell at the World Gas Conference in Tokyo
|
|
|
|
July 30
|
Alphard Hybrid launched
|
Alphard Hybrid
|
|
|
August
|
FCHV-BUS2 commences its first commercial operation in Japan
|
FCHV-BUS2
|
|
|
September 1
|
Prius undergoes complete redesign
|
Prius
|
|
|
September 3
|
The Dyna Hybrid becomes the world's first hybrid truck
|
Dyna
|
|
|
October 14
|
Fine-N fuel cell concept vehicle and other environment friendly concept vehicles exhibited at the 37th Tokyo Motor Show
|
Fine-N
|
|
|
2004
|
January
|
FC Development Group established
|
|
|
March 9
|
Patent licensing agreement on hybrid and exhaust emission-cleaning technologies signed with Ford Motor Company
|
|
|
|
March
|
The Motor Triathlon Race Car (MTRC) concept vehicle unveiled at the 74th Geneva International Motor Show
|
MTRC
|
|
|
|
Certification obtained for an internally manufactured 35-MPa, high-pressure hydrogen tank
|
|
|
|
2005
|
March 22
|
Harrier hybrid and Kluger Hybrid launched
|
Harrier Hybrid, Kluger Hybrid
|
|
March
|
FCHV-BUS commences operation as a shuttle bus at the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan
|
FCHV-BUS
|
|
|
March
|
FCHV participates as a ceremonial parade vehicle at the Expo 2005 Aichi Japan
|
FCHV
|
|
|
June 17
|
FCHV partially modified and acquires vehicle-type certification as the first fuel cell vehicle in Japan to satisfy the safety standards of the Japan's Road Transport Vehicle Act
|
FCHV
|
|
|
October 11
|
Fine-X fuel cell concept vehicle exhibited at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show
|
Fine-X
|
|
|
|
15-year certification obtained for an internally manufactured 35-MPa, high-pressure hydrogen tank; certification obtained for an internally manufactured 70-MPa, high-pressure hydrogen tank
|
|
|
|
2006
|
February 27
|
Commercial operation of the FCHV-BUS expanded to include the area around the Central Japan International Airport
|
FCHV-BUS
|
|
June 12
|
Estima Hybrid undergoes complete redesign
|
Estima Hybrid
|
|
|
June 13
|
Success in starting a fuel cell vehicle at low temperature of -30 degrees announced at the Toyota Environmental Forum
|
|
|
|
July 18
|
Commercial operation of the FCHV-BUS expanded to include to, from and within the Central Japan International Airport
|
FCHV-BUS
|
|
|
2007
|
April 19
|
Commercial operation of the FCHV commenced in the area around the Central Japan International Airport
|
FCHV
|
|
May 17
|
Lexus LS 600h and LS 600hL launched
|
Lexus LS 600h, Lexus LS 600hL
|
|
|
July 16
|
Toyota Supra Hybrid HV-R wins the overall title at the 14th Tokachi 24-hour endurance race
|
Supra HV-R
|
|
|
July 25
|
Toyota plug-in hybrid car developed
|
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
|
|
|
August 10
|
Prius meets Japan's 2015 Fuel Efficiency Standards
|
Prius
|
|
|
September 28
|
FCHV completes an Osaka-Tokyo trip over a distance of approximately 560 km without refueling
|
FCHV
|
|
|
September
|
Participation commenced in METI's hydrogen fuel cell verification project
|
|
|
|
2008
|
February 18
|
Crown Hybrid launched
|
Lexus GS 450h
|
|
May
|
24 units of a home-use fuel-cell cogeneration system provided to Toho Gas Co., Ltd., which is participating in METI's Large-scale Stationary Fuel Cell Demonstration Project
|
|
|
|
June 3
|
FCHV-adv advanced fuel cell vehicle acquires vehicle-type certification from MLIT
|
FCHV-adv
|
|
|
July 7
|
TMC provides a FCHV-adv as a test-drive vehicle and five FC busses as a shuttle bus to the July 7-9 Hokkaido Toyako Summit
|
FCHV-adv
|
|
|
September 1
|
Limited sales of the FCHV-adv commenced
|
FCHV-adv
|
|
|
2009
|
March 25
|
Joint development of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) co-generation system for home use announced by TMC, Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., Kyocera Corporation, and Aisin Seiki.
|
|
|
May
|
Third-generation Prius launched in Japan through Toyota dealers nationwide on May 18; Equipped with a newly developed hybrid system (THS II with a motor speed reduction device), more than 90% of which has been redesigned, the new Prius achieves world-leading fuel efficiency of 38.0 km/L and powertrain performance equivalent to that of cars equipped with a 2.4 L engine.
|
Prius
|
|
|
November 13
|
Fuel Cell Vehicle Long Distance Demonstration Drive of 1,100 km commenced as part of the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC)
|
FCHV-adv
|
|
|
December
|
Leasing of approximately 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHV) to selected customers in Japan, the U.S., and Europe commenced; Based on a belief that the PHV is an eco car most suitable for full-scale introduction and with the aim of early adoption, Toyota plans mass market introduction within two years, with the goal of selling several tens of thousands a year.
|
Prius Plug-in Hybrid
|
|
|
2010
|
September 17
|
As system manufacturers, TMC and Aisin Seiki supply approximately 60 units of the FY2010-model SOFC cogeneration system for home use to NEDO's Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Verification Project
|
|
|
November 18
|
Announcement made regarding market introduction of fuel cell vehicles
|
|
|
|
December 15
|
FCHV-BUS provided for commercial operation between central Tokyo and Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in response to a request from the Research Association of Hydrogen Supply/Utilization Technology (HySUT)
|
FCHV-BUS
|
|
|
2011
|
January 13
|
13 companies, consisting of automobile manufacturers and hydrogen suppliers, issue a joint statement toward introducing fuel cell vehicles to the Japanese market and building a hydrogen supply infrastructure by 2015
|
|
|
January 23
|
Units of the FCHV-adv provided for use in a car-service trial program between Narita International Airport and other destinations, in response to a request from HySUT
|
FCHV-adv
|
|
|
December
|
Aqua compact hybrid that combines driving enjoyment with world-leading fuel efficiency launched; Based on a smaller, lighter and more efficient hybrid system, the Aqua achieves fuel efficiency of 35.4 km/L under the JC08 test cycle at an entry price of 1.69 million yen.
|
Aqua
|
|
|
December
|
FCV-R displayed at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show
|
FCV-R
|
