Toyota Sora

With a capacity of 78 passengers, the Sora uses fuel cells to power the bus, in which 10 tanks carrying 600 litres of hydrogen feeds two sets of polymer electrolyte fuel cells which can produces an output of 116 kW (155 hp). A single refuelling takes only 10 minutes for a 200 km (120-mile) journey compared to conventional battery electric buses which takes around 5 hours for the batteries to be fully charged. The bus is also equipped with an external power supply system which can be used as an emergency source of electricity, providing external consumers with up to 235 kWh of electricity with a maximum power of 9 kW.

The Sora uses an automatic stopping system. It follows lines on the road and, using automatic steering and braking, stops the bus from 3 to 6 cm (1 to 2 in) from the edge of the stop, and also not more than 10 cm (4 in) in front of or behind the designated stop line. The bus has an environment monitoring system based on eight cameras located inside and outside the vehicle, combined with radar and a collision warning system, to detect pedestrians and cyclists in the vicinity and alert the driver to their presence using audible and visual signals. The bus is also equipped with an acceleration control function, which protects standing passengers from too rapid acceleration.

The Sora cooperates with the ITS Connect system, which uses communication between vehicles and between vehicles and road infrastructure to improve driving safety, as well as systems supporting bus convoys and ensuring priority at traffic lights (Public Transportation Priority Systems). Toyota buses can exchange information about traffic, pedestrians or changes in lights with other vehicles. The Emergency Driving Stop System also allows passengers to stop the vehicle in an emergency, for example if the driver collapses.^[2]