“Ultimate Eco-Car”  Now On Sale

Close Up Japan | 発売された究極のエコカー

“Ultimate Eco-Car” Now On Sale

Toyota, the world’s bestselling car manufacturer, has begun to sell FCV (fuel cell vehicle) cars that run on hydrogen. The FCV is a car which runs on an electrical motor powered by the chemical reaction created by combining oxygen with hydrogen. Differing from a gasoline-powered car, the FCV does not pollute the air since it emits no exhaust fumes. Earlier EV (electric vehicles), did not emit CO2, but took a long time to charge and could only run for short distances, so it was necessary to improve them. By contrast, the FCV is so efficient that it can run for 650 kilometers on a single charge of around three minutes, which is no different to a gasoline powered car. Bearing in mind that it’s a “next generation car,” it was named “Mirai.” The price is subsidized by the government, and it costs approximately five million yen. Honda has announced that it will also start to sell an FCV in 2015. Western automobile manufacturers are also developing FCVs, but Japanese technology is at the cutting edge. Sales of HV (hybrid vehicles) that reduce CO2 emissions are on the rise, so it’s government policy to support the development of FCV in order to foster economic growth. Tokyo’s governor, MASUZOE Yoichi, has stated that at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gasoline cars will be banned from entering the event’s facilities and athletes’ quarters. In this way, hopes are growing for the FCV, but there are some problems. One of these is that at normal temperatures, hydrogen is gaseous and difficult to transport and this increases manufacturing costs. Iwatani Corporation, Japan’s leading gas and energy provider announced that it would sell hydrogen for the FCV at a reasonable price. However, since hydrogen is currently being made from by fossil fuels like oil, CO2 is discharged in the manufacturing process. Fortunately, Japan is blessed with rich natural resources – such as volcanic geothermal energy, water power, sunlight, and wind power – that can be used for creating clean energy. To be truly eco friendly, car manufacturers are being asked to make an FCV that can run on clean energy.

自動車じどうしゃ販売はんばい台数だいすう世界一せかいいち
Jidousha hanbai’daisuu sekaiichi no
car bestselling (the) world’s manufacturer
トヨタとよた
Toyota ga
Toyota
水素すいそ
suiso
hydrogen
de
on
はし
hashiru
(that) run
くるま
kuruma,
cars
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV
FCV
燃料ねんりょう電池でんち自動車じどうしゃ)の
(nenryou’denchi’jidousha) no
fuel cell vehicle
販売はんばい
hanbai o/wo
to sell
開始かいししました。
kaishi shimashita.
has begun
FCVえふしーぶいとは、
FCV towa/ha,
(the) FCV
水素すいそ
suiso
hydrogen
to
with
酸素さんそ
sanso no
oxygen
化学かがく反応はんのう
kagaku’hannnou
(the) chemical reaction
de
(created) by (combining)
された
umidasareta
powered
電気でんきモーターもーたー
denki’mo-ta-
(an) electrical motor
de
on
はしる
hashiru
(which) runs
くるま
kuruma
(a) car
です。
desu.
is
ガソリンがそりんしゃ
Gasorin’sha
(a) gasoline-powered car
to
from
ことなり、
kotonari,
differing
排出はいしゅつガスがす
haishutsu gasu o/wo
exhaust fumes
さない
dasanai
(it) emits no
ので
node
since
大気たいき
taiki o/wo
(the) air
よごしません。
yogoshimasen.
(the FCV) does not pollute
先行せんこうしている
Senkou shite iru
earlier
EVいーぶい
EV
EV
電気でんき自動車じどうしゃ)は、
(denki’jidousha) wa/ha,
electric vehicles
COしーおー2つー
CO2 o/wo
CO2
しません
dashimasen
did not emit
ga
but
充電じゅうでん
juuden ni
to charge
時間じかんがかかり、
jikan ga kakari,
took (a) long time and
みじか距離きょり
mijikai kyori
(for) short distances
しかはしれない
shika hashirenai
could only run
ので、
node,
so
改善かいぜん
kaizen ga
to improve (them)
必要ひつようとされていました。
hitsuyou to sarete imashita.
(it) was necessary
対照的たいしょうてき
Taishouteki ni
by contrast
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV wa/ha
(the) FCV
性能せいのうすぐれ、
seinou ni sugure,
is efficient
いっかい
ikkai
single
3さんぷん
san/3 pun
three minutes
程度ていど
teido
around
no
of
じゅうてん
juuten
(a) charge
で、
de,
on
650ろっぴゃくごじゅっキロきろ
roppyaku gojuu/650 kiro
(for) six hundred fifty kilometers
はしれる
hashireru
(it) can run
ので、
node,
so - that
ガソリンがそりんしゃ
gasorin’sha
(a) gasoline powered car
to
to
わりません。
kawarimasen.
(which) is no different
次世代じせだいくるま
“Jisedai no kuruma”
(a) next generation car
との
to no
that it’s
おもいから
omoi kara
bearing in mind
ミライみらい」と
“Mirai” to
Mirai
名付なづけられました。
nazu/dukeraremashita.
(it) was named
価格かかく
Kakaku wa/ha
(the) price
政府せいふ
seifu
(the) government
からの
kara no
by
補助金ほじょきんもあり、
hojokin mo ari,
is subsidized and
500万ごひゃくまんえん
gohyaku/500 man en
five million yen
ほどで
hodo de
approximately
購入こうにゅうできます。
kounyuu dekimasu.
(it) costs <purchase>
ホンダほんだ
Honda
Honda
mo
also
2015にせんじゅうごねん
nisen juugo/2015 nen
two thousand fifteen [year]
ni
in
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV o/wo
(an) FCV
発売はつばいする
hatsubai suru
(it) will start to sell
to
that
発表はっぴょうしました。
happyou shimashita.
has announced
欧米おうべい
Oubei no
Western
自動車じどうしゃメーカーめーかー
jidousha me-ka-
automobile manufacturers
mo
also
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV o/wo
FCVs
開発かいはつしています
kaihatsu shite imasu
are developing
が、
ga,
but
日本にほん
Nihon no
Japanese
技術ぎじゅつ
gijutsu wa/ha
technology
先行せんこうしています。
senkou shite imasu.
is at the cutting edge
COしーおー2つー排出はいしゅつ
CO2 no haishutsu ga
CO2 emissions
すくない
sukunai
(that) reduce
HVえいちぶいハイブリッドはいぶりっどしゃ
HV (haiburiddo sha)
HV hybrid vehicles
no
of
販売はんばい
hanbai wa/ha
sales
びており、
nobite ori,
are on the rise so
経済けいざい成長せいちょう
keizai’seichou o/wo
economic growth
促進そくしんする
sokushin suru
to foster
ために、
tame ni,
in order
政府せいふ
seifu wa/ha
government
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV
FCV
no
of
開発かいはつ
kaihatsu o/wo
(the) development
支援しえんする
shien suru
to support
方針ほうしんです。
houshin desu.
(it)’s policy
舛添ますぞえ要一よういち
MASUZOE Youichi
Masuzoe Yoichi
東京都とうきょうと知事ちじは、
Toukyou’tochiji wa/ha,
Tokyo’s governor
2020にせんにじゅうねん東京とうきょうオリンピックおりんぴっく
nisen nijuu/2020 nen no Toukyou Orinpikku
two thousand twenty [year](the) Tokyo Olympics
では、
dewa/ha,
at
競技きょうぎ施設しせつ
kyougi’shisetsu
(the) event’s facilities
ya
and
選手村せんしゅむら
senshu’mura ni
athletes’ quarters
ガソリンがそりんしゃ
gasorin’sha ga
gasoline cars
はいることを
hairu koto o/wo
entering
禁止きんしする
kinshi suru
will be banned (from)
to
that
べています。
nobete imasu.
has stated
このように
Kono youni
in this way
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV
(the) FCV
への
e/he no
for
期待きたい
kitai wa/ha
hopes
たかまっています
takamatte imasu
are growing
が、
ga,
but
課題かだい
kadai mo
some problems [also]
あります。
arimasu.
there are
そのひとつは、
Sono hitotsu wa/ha,
one of these
水素すいそ
suiso wa/ha
hydrogen
常温じょうおん
jouon
normal temperatures
では
dewa/ha
at
気体きたい
kitai de
is gaseous and
はこびにくく
hakobi nikuku
difficult to transport and
製造せいぞうコストこすと
seizou kosuto ga
manufacturing costs
たかくなる
takaku naru
(this) increases
こと
koto
that
です。
desu.
is
日本にほん
Nihon no
Japan’s
大手おおて
oote
leading
ガスがすエネルギーえねるぎー会社がいしゃ
gasu / enerugi- gaisha no
gas and energy provider
岩谷いわたに産業さんぎょう
Iwatani Sangyou wa/ha
Iwatani Corporation
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV
(the) FCV
には
niwa/ha
for
水素すいそ
suiso o/wo
hydrogen
やす
yasui
reasonable
価格かかく
kakaku
(a) price
de
at
販売はんばいする
hanbai suru
(it) would sell
to
that
発表はっぴょうしています。
happyou shite imasu.
announced
しかし
Shikashi
however
水素すいそ
suiso wa/ha
hydrogen
現在げんざい
genzai,
currently
石油せきゆ
sekiyu
oil
などの
nado no
like
化石かせき燃料ねんりょう
kaseki nenryou
fossil fuels
de
by
つくられている
tsukurarete iru
is being made from
ために
tame ni
since
製造せいぞう過程かてい
seizou’katei
(the) manufacturing process
de
in
COしーおー2つー
CO2 ga
CO2
排出はいしゅつされます。
haishutsu saremasu.
is discharged
さいわ
Saiwai
fortunately
日本にほんは、
Nihon wa/ha,
Japan
クリーンくりーんエネルギーえねるぎー
kuri-n enerugi-
(creating) clean energy
ni
for
利用りようできる
riyou dekiru
(that) can be used
火山かざん地熱ちねつ
kazan no chinetsu
volcanic geothermal energy
ya
and
水力すいりょく
sui’ryoku,
waterpower
太陽光たいようこう
taiyou’kou,
sunlight
風力ふうりょく
fuu’ryoku
wind power
など、
nado,
such as
豊富ほうふ
houfuna
rich
自然しぜん環境かんきょう
shizen’kankyou ni
natural resources
めぐまれています。
megumarete imasu.
is blessed with
究極きゅうきょく
Kyuukyoku no
truly
エコえこ
eko o/wo
eco friendly
実現じつげんするには、
jitsugen suru niwa/ha,
to be
自動車じどうしゃメーカーめーかー
jidousha me-ka- wa/ha
car manufacturers
クリーンくりーん
kuri-nnna
clean
エネルギーえねるぎー
enerugi-
energy
de
on
はしれる
hashireru
(that) can run
FCVえふしーぶい
FCV o/wo
(an) FCV
つくることが
tsukuru koto ga
to make
もとめられます。
motomeraremasu.
are being asked

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