Toyota is requesting an exemption from a rule in order to sell its new Fuel Cell Vehicle.
The Japanese automaker has asked U.S. auto-safety regulators for a two-year exemption on the rule called FMVSS No. 305, which requires automakers to isolate high-voltage parts in electric cars in the event of a crash. If the Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle complied, the required mechanism could render the vehicle inoperable after a low-speed collision.
According to Toyota, the Fuel Cell Vehicle will protect its occupants and first responders from electrical shocks by insulating high-voltage cables and surrounding components such as the fuel-cell stack, motor and battery with metal barriers. Toyota plans on limiting deliveries of the Fuel Cell Vehicle to 2,500 units a year.
The company has also said that the electrical safety of the Fuel Cell Vehicle will at least be equivalent to those complying with NHTSA’s standards.
