Toyota Unveils FC Bus Concept "Sora"
October 18 2017 - 2:12AM
JCN Newswire (English)
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announces the launch of the
"Sora"(1), a Toyota fuel cell bus (FC bus) concept. Toyota plans to
launch sales of a commercial model based on the concept vehicle in
2018 and expects to introduce over 100 Sora, mainly within the
Tokyo metropolitan area, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and
Paralympic Games.
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Sora (concept model)
Toyota developed the Sora (concept model) based on the vision of an
"enduring town icon" guided by two ideas: to make best use of the
characteristics of the FC unit; and to enhance the comfort of
passengers traveling on bus routes.
Idea 1: Service vehicle for the entire community
Toyota aims to create a bus that works for the world and for
people, is environmentally friendly, and can contribute to
communities beyond its role as a mobility service.
- The Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which was developed for the
Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCV), has been adopted to deliver superior
environmental performance with no CO2 emissions or Substances of
Concern (SoC) emitted when in operation.
- The Sora is equipped with a high-capacity external power supply
system, providing high output and a large capacity of electricity
supply (9 kW maximum output, and electricity supply of 235 kWh(2))
and can be used as an emergency power source following
disasters.
Idea 2: Universal design and function that is people-centered
Because the bus is envisioned to be used by large and varying
numbers of passengers at any given time, Toyota paid close
attention to convenience, safety, and peace of mind with the aim to
give all passengers a pleasant riding experience, so that they
would want to ride the buses regularly.
- Horizontal seats with an automatic storage mechanism improves
comfort (first in Japan(3))
The bus is equipped with horizontal seats with an automatic storage
mechanism to provide space for strollers or wheelchairs. This
provides extra seating for regular passengers when the space is not
needed for strollers or wheelchairs.
- Improved safety from bus peripheral monitoring function (first in
Japan(3))
Eight high-definition cameras fitted inside and outside the vehicle
detect pedestrians and bicycles around the bus, providing a
peripheral monitoring function that warns the driver with sound and
images to improve safety.
- Improved safety from acceleration control function (first in
Japan(3))
The acceleration control function suppresses sudden acceleration
and enables gentle acceleration from stops, in consideration of the
safety of standing passengers. Also, there is no lurching due to
the lack of a need for gear shifting.
- Improved ease of boarding and exiting through automatic arrival
control(4) (first in Japan(3))
Adoption of automatic arrival control detects the guidance line on
the road surface and uses automatic steering and deceleration to
stop the bus with approximately 3 to 6 cm of clearance from the bus
stop, and within a range of 10 cm ahead of or behind the bus stop
position. This improves boarding and exiting for passengers using
strollers or wheelchairs.
- Improved convenience through ITS Connect
Bus transportation capability, speed, punctuality, and convenience
is boosted by ITS Connect, which utilizes vehicle-to-vehicle and
vehicle-to-infrastructure communications to support safe driving,
together with systems that support bus convoys and that provide
priority at traffic signals (PTPS(5)).
Design
The design pursues stereoscopic shaping that significantly differs
from the hexahedron (box shape) of conventional buses. It also uses
LED for the front and rear lights. Such design features make the FC
bus instantly recognizable.
Toyota plans to display the Sora (concept model) at Tokyo Big Sight
during the 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017. The theme for this year's
show, which runs for 12 days from October 25 to November 5(6), is
"Beyond the Motor."
(1) Sora: an acronym for Sky, Ocean, River, Air, representing the
earth's water cycle.
(2) The power that can be supplied and the power amount may differ,
depending on the performance of the power supply unit, amount of
hydrogen remaining, and power consumption.
(3) As of October 18 (according to Toyota Motor Corporation).
(4) The bus stops without leaving a large gap between it and the
bus stop.
(5) PTPS: Public Transportation Priority Systems
(6) The 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017 is to be held at Tokyo Big Sight
in Tokyo's waterfront area from October 25 through November 5, with
press days on October 25 and 26, a special-invitation day on
October 26, a preview day on October 27 and general-public days
from October 28 to November 5.
To access the exclusive site for Tokyo Motor Show 2017,
please visit http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/tms2017/.
About Toyota
Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation
(TSE:7203; NYSE:TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937
to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of
December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52
overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions.
Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions.
For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.
Source: Toyota
Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926
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