Toyota introducing $50k fuel cell car in 2015

Last year, Toyota re-committed to producing a hydrogen fuel cell car by 2015 and it looks like they’re keeping their promise, and making it cheaper.  The automaker says it has slashed the cost of producing a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle by 90 percent, allowing them to introduce a fuel cell sedan in 2015 with a price tag of $50,000.

Toyota says that they hope to cut the cost by an additional 50 percent in the next few years so that they can produce this so-called affordable mid-sized fuel cell car that would offer the same range as a conventional car.  They’ve cut costs by using one-third the platinum traditionally used in fuel cells (10 grams instead of 30 grams) and by reducing the cost of a polymer electrolyte in the cell.  The additional savings will come from scaling up production.

If you think $50,000 is still a lot of money, I agree with you, but it’s far less than the exorbitant prices that fuel cell cars have been projected to cost (think up to seven figures).  If the costs keep coming down and if fueling stations start popping up, hydrogen vehicles could finally have a chance at making it.

via Wired