The hydrogen sedan Toyota Crown became a taxi and police car in Japan

Toyota has developed special versions of the Crown FCEV sedan for taxis and the police to evaluate the potential of the hydrogen car in real-world conditions of intensive use.

What is known

Let's start with taxis: the Crown Sedan FCEV is already operating on the streets of Tokyo. The number of cars is gradually increasing and is expected to reach 200 units by the end of March 2026. Each car stands out with black coloring, blue graphics, and distinctive Tokyo H2 stickers on the sides.

The interior is fully equipped for taxi work: an additional GPS module, fare meter, and a transparent partition behind the driver's seat. Rear passengers enjoy legroom, additional screens, an individual touch display for climate control, and seats with a massage function.

Toyota acknowledges that the FCEV's length of 5030 mm may present challenges on narrow city streets but insists that this is compensated by smooth acceleration and a quiet, comfortable ride. The base fare remains unchanged—¥500 ($3), as in an ordinary Tokyo taxi.

The experiment did not stop at taxis. In December 2024, Toyota introduced a police version of the Crown Sedan FCEV for the Fukushima Prefecture—a region affected by the 2011 nuclear disaster.

The patrol version changes the restrained corporate style to a black-and-white color scheme with roof strobe lights, large Police lettering, and Mount Fuji-style graphics on the hood. The standard Toyota emblem is replaced with a gold insignia.

Both model versions retain the standard Crown FCEV powertrain. The rear-mounted electric motor delivers 180 hp (134 kW) and 300 Nm of torque, powered by a fuel cell system borrowed from the Toyota Mirai.

Hydrogen is stored in three high-pressure tanks, providing a range of up to 820 km on a single refueling.

For drivers less convinced of hydrogen, Toyota also offers the Crown Sedan with a self-charging hybrid system that combines a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with two electric motors.

Source: Toyota