Hydrogen vehicles seem to be the priority for Toyota right now. The carmaker has been pushing hard, and so has its luxury brand.
A Lexus hydrogen fueled vehicle concept, the LF-FC, was shown at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. The LF-FC showed off an all-wheel drive fuel cell power system and a holographic controlled interface that allows the driver to control the car’s systems with gestures.
Under the hood, the fuel cell stack, hydrogen storage and power control unit have all been optimally placed in order to ensure the best drive possible, in terms of performance and handling. The hydrogen fuel cell distributes power between the rear wheels and in-wheel front motors. Also included are a slew of autonomous driving assistance systems, including traffic recognition, prediction, and judgement.
The conceptual Lexus hydrogen fueled vehicle is a sedan designed with beautiful curves and a coupe-like roof profile. The front features the signature hourglass grill and sharp headlamps and daytime running lights. The feature carries over to the rear, with matching tail lights. 21-inch aluminum wheels with carbon fiber reinforced rims rounds out the design features of the vehicle. Lexus did not sacrifice any of its trademark designs, nor its design philosophy, in the production of the concept.
With the concept being debuted, it was confirmed that Lexus is serious about joining the green transportation movement, as plans to launch a Lexus hydrogen fueled vehicle by 2020 were also discussed. However, it’s likely that this iteration of the LF-FC will never be produced for the market. It still bodes well for the future of the carmaker, however, and other manufacturers looking to get their foot in the door in the clean vehicle market.
