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.
自動車販売台数世界一の
Jidousha hanbai’daisuu sekaiichi no
car bestselling (the) world’s manufacturer
(燃料電池自動車)の
(nenryou’denchi’jidousha) no
fuel cell vehicle
販売を
hanbai o/wo
to sell
開始しました。
kaishi shimashita.
has begun
FCVとは、
FCV towa/ha,
(the) FCV
化学反応
kagaku’hannnou
(the) chemical reaction
で
de
(created) by (combining)
生み出された
umidasareta
powered
電気モーター
denki’mo-ta-
(an) electrical motor
ガソリン車
Gasorin’sha
(a) gasoline-powered car
排出ガスを
haishutsu gasu o/wo
exhaust fumes
出さない
dasanai
(it) emits no
大気を
taiki o/wo
(the) air
汚しません。
yogoshimasen.
(the FCV) does not pollute
先行している
Senkou shite iru
earlier
(電気自動車)は、
(denki’jidousha) wa/ha,
electric vehicles
出しません
dashimasen
did not emit
充電に
juuden ni
to charge
時間がかかり、
jikan ga kakari,
took (a) long time and
短い距離
mijikai kyori
(for) short distances
しか走れない
shika hashirenai
could only run
改善が
kaizen ga
to improve (them)
必要とされていました。
hitsuyou to sarete imashita.
(it) was necessary
対照的に
Taishouteki ni
by contrast
FCVは
FCV wa/ha
(the) FCV
性能に優れ、
seinou ni sugure,
is efficient
3分
san/3 pun
three minutes
650キロ
roppyaku gojuu/650 kiro
(for) six hundred fifty kilometers
走れる
hashireru
(it) can run
ガソリン車
gasorin’sha
(a) gasoline powered car
変わりません。
kawarimasen.
(which) is no different
「次世代の車」
“Jisedai no kuruma”
(a) next generation car
思いから
omoi kara
bearing in mind
名付けられました。
nazu/dukeraremashita.
(it) was named
価格は
Kakaku wa/ha
(the) price
政府
seifu
(the) government
補助金もあり、
hojokin mo ari,
is subsidized and
500万円
gohyaku/500 man en
five million yen
購入できます。
kounyuu dekimasu.
(it) costs <purchase>
2015年
nisen juugo/2015 nen
two thousand fifteen [year]
FCVを
FCV o/wo
(an) FCV
発売する
hatsubai suru
(it) will start to sell
発表しました。
happyou shimashita.
has announced
自動車メーカー
jidousha me-ka-
automobile manufacturers
開発しています
kaihatsu shite imasu
are developing
技術は
gijutsu wa/ha
technology
先行しています。
senkou shite imasu.
is at the cutting edge
CO2の排出が
CO2 no haishutsu ga
CO2 emissions
少ない
sukunai
(that) reduce
HV(ハイブリッド車)
HV (haiburiddo sha)
HV hybrid vehicles
伸びており、
nobite ori,
are on the rise so
経済成長を
keizai’seichou o/wo
economic growth
促進する
sokushin suru
to foster
政府は
seifu wa/ha
government
開発を
kaihatsu o/wo
(the) development
支援する
shien suru
to support
方針です。
houshin desu.
(it)’s policy
舛添要一
MASUZOE Youichi
Masuzoe Yoichi
東京都知事は、
Toukyou’tochiji wa/ha,
Tokyo’s governor
2020年の東京オリンピック
nisen nijuu/2020 nen no Toukyou Orinpikku
two thousand twenty [year](the) Tokyo Olympics
競技施設
kyougi’shisetsu
(the) event’s facilities
選手村に
senshu’mura ni
athletes’ quarters
ガソリン車が
gasorin’sha ga
gasoline cars
入ることを
hairu koto o/wo
entering
禁止する
kinshi suru
will be banned (from)
述べています。
nobete imasu.
has stated
このように
Kono youni
in this way
高まっています
takamatte imasu
are growing
課題も
kadai mo
some problems [also]
その一つは、
Sono hitotsu wa/ha,
one of these
水素は
suiso wa/ha
hydrogen
常温
jouon
normal temperatures
気体で
kitai de
is gaseous and
運びにくく
hakobi nikuku
difficult to transport and
製造コストが
seizou kosuto ga
manufacturing costs
高くなる
takaku naru
(this) increases
ガス・エネルギー会社の
gasu / enerugi- gaisha no
gas and energy provider
岩谷産業は
Iwatani Sangyou wa/ha
Iwatani Corporation
販売する
hanbai suru
(it) would sell
発表しています。
happyou shite imasu.
announced
水素は
suiso wa/ha
hydrogen
化石燃料
kaseki nenryou
fossil fuels
つくられている
tsukurarete iru
is being made from
製造過程
seizou’katei
(the) manufacturing process
排出されます。
haishutsu saremasu.
is discharged
クリーンエネルギー
kuri-n enerugi-
(creating) clean energy
利用できる
riyou dekiru
(that) can be used
火山の地熱
kazan no chinetsu
volcanic geothermal energy
水力、
sui’ryoku,
waterpower
太陽光、
taiyou’kou,
sunlight
風力
fuu’ryoku
wind power
自然環境に
shizen’kankyou ni
natural resources
恵まれています。
megumarete imasu.
is blessed with
究極の
Kyuukyoku no
truly
エコを
eko o/wo
eco friendly
実現するには、
jitsugen suru niwa/ha,
to be
自動車メーカーは
jidousha me-ka- wa/ha
car manufacturers
走れる
hashireru
(that) can run
FCVを
FCV o/wo
(an) FCV
つくることが
tsukuru koto ga
to make
求められます。
motomeraremasu.
are being asked