Toyota has pulled the wraps off its new Fine-Ride Comfort concept car which is powered by hydrogen.
Its fuel-cell powertrain consists of four electric motors which are all fed by hydrogen.
The car should drive like an electric car but drivers will instead top up the vehicle with hydrogen in stead of electricity.
Toyota is claiming that the radical new SUV will be able to achieve a range of around 600 miles per tank.
It is said to offer 310kW of power which is equivalent to around 400bhp and operates as a four-wheel drive vehicle.
This puts it way out in front of zero-emissions cars in terms of range but the eternal problem of hydrogen fuel-cell cars is a lack of suitable infrastructure to support them.
In the UK there is a finite amount of refuelling stations which have a hydrogen pump so to entertain the thought of Brits driving around in hydrogen car should require significant investment in these pumps.
One interesting space-saving feature Toyota has done with the FCR is to add the motors into the wheels themselves which frees up more room inside the cabin.
The hydrogen fuel cell sits at the front of the car while the hydrogen tank is built into the floor.
To maximise room inside the cabin Toyota has given the front of the car a relatively short and flat profile.
Its looks are a little out there but not unpleasant. It’s not what you would call a cool car but it isn’t ugly.
The way that the cabin has been design is interesting as it narrows at the front and rear but swells in the middle.
The narrowing cabin is to improve aerodynamics but the wider cabin allows more space inside.
The interior has definitely been designed for autonomous driving. The four primary chairs can rotate fully and swivel and also recline.
There also appears to be a narrow bench behind the second row of seats which you wouldn’t want to sit in.
Fixed to the dashboard is an unusual looking U-shaped steering wheel which is likely to have been designed so it can foldaway when the car is driving itself.
Whether or not this car will enter production or it has been designed merely to display the advancements in its fuel-cell tech and autonomy remains to be seen.