Toyota FCHV Handling The Polar Vortex

Record low and cold temperatures have stranded many East Coast drivers, but not those that are testing the Toyota fuel cell in the area.

Connecticut-based Proton Onsite, which operates a fleet of ten Toyota FCHV-adv fuel cell vehicles, says that even in single digit temperatures, the FCHV-adv shows no signs of frostbite, according to Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

“We had another snow storm Tuesday night and this morning the temperature was 3 degrees,” said mark Schiller, Proton vice president of business development. “I went out to my Toyota FCHV-adv and brushed off a foot of snow before starting the car right up. No problem”, he added.

When compared to a purely electric vehicle, the fuel cell car has the upper ground in terms of real-life application: an almost zero effect over the performance even in the harshest environments. Schiller claims to still get around 300 miles on a single tank. “The vehicle performed flawlessly,” he added.

Air Products in Allentown tells the same story.

“Our employees have driven it to community and business-related events during one of Pennsylvania’s worst winters in recent memory,” says Nick Mittica, Air Products’ commercial manager, hydrogen energy systems. “The FCHV-adv has great performance.”

Apparently, over the last decade, the Toyota fuel cell fleet has logged millions of miles in some of the most extreme climates on the planet. From Yellowknife, Canada (temperatures as low as – 30 degrees Celsius) to the Death Valley (severe heat), Toyota have tried them all.

There’s a lot of testing to do, but in 2015 when FCHVs hits the road, it will all be worth it.