In a recent announcement, Toyota Motor Corporation has disclosed that it has commenced the sale of its first fuel cell bus (FC bus) under brand name ‘Sora’ in Japan. The production version of the Sora FC bus is based on the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS).

The Sora -- an acronym for Sky, Ocean, River, Air -- is the first FC bus in Japan to have received vehicle certification.

Toyota’s announcement that the Sora has gone on sale fully certified is a noteworthy landmark for the FC bus which was first unveiled in November 2017. At the time of its unveiling, the FC bus was deemed an important part of a range of hydrogen concepts to be introduced by Toyota.

Sharing some details about the Sora fuel cell bus, Toyota said that the overall design of the FC bus is stereoscopic, rather than being box-shaped like conventional buses. The motor of the FC bus has the capability to deliver 113 kW, and the vehicle is equipped with a nickel-metal hydride battery for the drive. The fuel cell stack of the FC bus is a solid polymer electrolyte which comprises two 114kW packs.

With the sales of Sora having started by Toyota, the automaker is hopeful that it will achieve its target of selling more than 100 units of the FC bus ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Tokyo.