Seeing the big picture
When considering the impact of hybrids and FCVs, it's worth taking a "well-to-wheel" holistic approach. Well-to-wheel describes the impact of a vehicle's operation, including the entire cycle of the fuel from the time it's extracted or manufactured until it is used in the vehicle.

In a well-to-wheel comparison, a gasoline-powered Prius is actually more efficient than a typical hydrogen-powered FCV. Toyota estimates that Prius has a well-to-wheel efficiency of 29% versus 22% for a typical FCV. How can this be? The answer lies in the expenditure of energy involved in producing and transporting hydrogen.

Hydrogen is a manufactured fuel. As such, its production requires electric power, which is generated in fossil fuel-powered plants. More energy is expended in producing and distributing hydrogen than is released when it is consumed in a fuel cell.

In contrast, gasoline releases more energy in a car's engine than is needed to pump, refine and transport it. This is a critical factor in making today's hybrids actually more efficient than FCVs in a well-to-wheel context.

Toyota estimates that the efficiency of fuel production and delivery to the vehicle's tank is 79% for gasoline versus 58% for hydrogen that is manufactured from natural gas. Natural gas "reforming" is the most common method of hydrogen production. The other major process is electrolysis, in which electric currents split pure water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Many advocates of hydrogen power promote the use of renewable energy for electrolysis, including solar and wind-generated electricity. This eliminates fossil fuels from the production process. Renewable production of hydrogen is demonstrated today in a number of locations, with the hope that it can be brought to commercial scale in the future.

Hybrids: a real-world solution for today
Hybrids are now available at competitive prices. Using high-performance technology with proven reliability, every Toyota hybrid on the road saves on fuel and cost-per-mile compared with similar conventional vehicles, and boasts SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) status -- or simply put -- better emissions.

FCVs, by comparison, will not be available at dealers for years. Right now, the cost of FCVs is too high; durability and reliability are not acceptable and fuel infrastructure is not in place. Fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen production must come a long way to compete with gasoline hybrids.

Toyota and other companies are working steadily and investing millions of dollars in FCV research; but for the foreseeable future, hybrids are being hailed as the best available solution for maximizing fuel economy and reducing emissions at an affordable price.

The table below illustrates the well-to-wheel comparison between a Prius and a typical FCV.