Toyota Takes Long View About Fuel-Cell Car in Europe

Toyota Motor Corp. plans a slow and very controlled debut of its upcoming fuel-cell-powered sedan in Europe next year, Automotive News Europe says.

Toyota hasn't publicly announced a name for the car. But unnamed sources told Bloomberg News in July the sedan will be called Mirai.

The carmaker's primary goals are to demonstrate the car's capabilities and impress opinion influencers, thereby building support for a hydrogen fueling infrastructure in Europe. Explains Toyota Europe Executive Vice President Karl Schlicht, "We'd like to do more than just sell the car."

Toyota's strategy will be to make small numbers of the cars available primarily to corporate and institutional users in Denmark, Germany and the UK countries with a relatively good base of hydrogen fueling stations already. "We can't just open [sales] up to anyone," Schlicht notes. He says the company may lease some vehicles to specially selected individuals.

Toyota said earlier the fuel-cell car will retail for about 7 million yen (€51,000) in Japan. A European price has not been announced.