Japanese carmaker Toyota has revealed the exterior design and Japanese market-guide pricing of its hydrogen-powered fuel-cell sedan, following the car’s appearance in concept form at last year's Tokyo Motor Show.

The four-door saloon will be introduced in Japan before April 2015, with the US and European markets to follow a few months later.

The sedan will be sold in Japan at Toyota and Toyopet dealerships, priced at around seven-million yen, which translates into about R700 000.

Toyota says sales will be limited to those parts of Japan where hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure is under development.

Prices for Europe and the US have not yet been decided.

Detailed information such as final prices, specifications and sales expectations will also be announced later.

Toyota says hydrogen has “great potential” as an alternative fuel.

It can be produced from a wide variety of primary energy sources, including solar and wind power; it is easy to store and transport; and when compressed, it has a higher energy density than batteries.

It can also be used in a range of applications beyond automotive and domestic use, such as large-scale power generation.

Toyota companies are also engaging in other hydrogen-related initiatives, such as developing and testing fuel cells for use in homes, and designing fuel-cell forklifts and buses.

Toyota has been developing fuel cell vehicles in-house for more than 20 years.

The vehicle maker’s system includes a proprietary FC Stack, which generates electricity from the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, and high-pressure hydrogen tanks.

The technology was featured in Toyota’s fuel-cell hybrid vehicle, a sports-utility vehicle, which was leased to customers on a limited basis in Japan and the US from 2002.

Since then, Toyota has improved the system significantly.

For example, the fuel cell sedan revealed this year delivers performance and a cruising range similar to that of a petrol-engine vehicle, and refuelling takes roughly three minutes.

When driven, the car's only tailpipe emission is water vapour, produced by the chemical reaction between the hydrogen and oxygen.

Fuel cell vehicles contribute to the diversification of vehicle fuels, states Toyota.

“They emit no carbon dioxide or substances harmful to the environment when driven, but offer the convenience associated with petrol-powered vehicles.”

Toyota South Africa marketing VP Glenn Crompton says the arrival of fuel-cell technology for cars “is an exciting development as it heralds the dawn of a new era for vehicular propulsion.

“Toyota’s leadership in the field of hybrids provides the experience needed to launch a new technology to the market in countries where the fuelling infrastructure is available. In South Africa there are, of course, challenges ahead, including development of the required infrastructure and greater customer awareness, before hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles can be offered here.

“That said, Toyota is confident hydrogen will become increasingly popular as a way of powering vehicles around the world.”