Air Liquide links with Toyota on fuel-cell stations

PARIS, FRANCE: French industrial gases company Air Liquide said it was teaming up with a Toyota subsidiary to build a network of filling stations for fuel-cell electric vehicles in Japan.

Air Liquide is building fuel cell refilling stations in Japan. Image: Air Liquide

With fuel-cell vehicles expected to reach the market in 2015, Air Liquide said it and Toyota Tsusho will create a new company to build 100 filling stations in and along major highways between four major Japanese cities within two years.

Fuel cells generate electricity from the conversion of hydrogen into water, thus producing no pollution. A network of service stations with the gas must be created to refill the vehicle's cells.

"Two hydrogen filling stations are expected to be completed next year in the Tokyo, with the network of stations between Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, which will ready the following year," Air Liquide said.

Air Liquide handles production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and has already built more than 60 hydrogen filling stations in other parts of the world for fuel cell vehicles.

Toyota Tsusho handles the energy-related business of the Toyota.

Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge