Toyota aims for $50,000 production hydrogen sedan by 2015

Toyota is undoubtedly known more for its hybrid vehicles than its hydrogen-powered cars, but that could tilt just a little if the company can make good on claims of a production-ready hydrogen sedan for around $50,000. According to Toyota, this price is achievable because costs have dropped tremendously on its fuel-cell technology, about 90 percent in the last five years alone. Toyota even states that its hydrogen sedan, slated for debut in 2015, would be profitable at the price listed above, but we have our doubts about that.

Doubts aside, here's the words of Toyota's managing director of advanced autos, Yoshihiko Masuda:

Our target is, we don't lose money with introduction of the vehicle. Production cost should be covered within the price of the vehicle.

Even if Toyota can be profitable at the $50,000 price, there are still other issues to be concerned with such as the fact that the Nissan Leaf will sell for half that amount and $50k is a heck of a lot of dough to spend on unproven technology. Even Toyota admits it's a little expensive as Masuda added that the hydrogen sedan is similar to a gasoline car but "with some extra cost." Will buyers be willing to foot this extra cost? We don't think so, but we should find out in a few years.

Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Bloomberg]