With Honda and General Motors having sent out their fuel-cell test vehicles to consumers for limited testing, Toyota has also stepped up to the plate with its Fuel Cell Highlander. The FCHV, as it is called, is based on the original Highlander, and the name stands for Fuel-Cell Hybrid Vehicle.
The FCHV uses hydrogen storage tanks pressurized up to 10,000 psi that holds 13.2 lb of hydrogen. According to Toyota, the FCHV has a range of 432 miles, which gives it a gas mileage rating of 72 mpg. Sporting 122 hp, the FCHV also uses nickel-metal hydride batteries to provide short bursts of additional power. The Fuel Cell Highlander can be started at temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.
One of the biggest problems surrounding fuel-cell vehicles is fuel replenishment. Hydrogen stations are few and far between, but more efforts to promote fuel-cell vehicles and hydrogen stations should appear further into the future.
Source: Consumer Reports Blog