After its global debut in Japan last week, the production version of Toyota’s Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) was rolled out on U.S. soil at the 2014 Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, open from June 24 to July 3.
We asked Toyota for more details, including whether this is the North American specification model and here’s what press spokesperson Carly Schaffner told us:
“Yes, it’s the production version, but we’re only showing the exterior in Aspen. Also, pricing won’t be announced until closer to the one sale date, which will be next year.”
The only (visible) exterior differences with the JDM model appear to be the orange turning markers on both ends of the family-sized sedan.
The new FCV is expected to deliver a driving range of approximately 700 km (435 miles) with a refueling time of approximately three minutes. However, one of the biggest hurdles for fuel cell vehicles, the restricted refueling network, remains, which is why the FCV will initially launch in California only. Earlier this year, the Japanese firm announced a partnership with FirstElement Fuels to “support the long-term operation and maintenance of 19 new hydrogen refueling stations in California”.
Toyota has not said if and when it will offer the FCV outside of California in the States.
By John Halas
PHOTO GALLERY
