Lexus LS (Photo : http://www.usautowrecking.com/)
Toyota is reportedly developing a hydrogen Lexus LS limousine to be launched by 2017.
Toyota launched the Prius hybrid car, the world's first, in 1997. Since then, Toyota tried to build every model to be hybrid.
The Japanese car brand is now reportedly expanding into fuel-cell-powered cars.
Toyota will be launching in 2015 another world's first in cars, the hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) sedan dubbed as "Mirai." The Japanese automaker is targeting about 400 sales of the FCEV Mirai annually, but is also planning to expand the market to 50,000 units every year.
According to Australian vehicle website Motoring, Toyota is planning to use the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) it used in the Mirai hydrogen sedan and put it into its high-end luxury Lexus LS limousine.
A source said that the Lexus LS's nose section may be refitted to have wider air intakes for the better cooling of the hydrogen powered system. The hydrogen Lexus LS will also have the fuel-cell unit placed under the front seat, two hydrogen tanks situated under the rear parcel shelf and the rear seat.
Toyota did confirm that there will be more hydrogen cars following the Mirai within the next ten years, including an SUV and its Corolla and Crown models.
Aside from Toyota, there are also other auto giants entering the FCEV market, including Hyundai, Volkswagen Group and BMW.
Meanwhile, Toyota Australia announced that it has no plans in importing or even testing the FCEVs from Japan due to the continent's slow market for hybrid cars.
