Toyota Expands Crown FCEV With Taxi and Police Versions for Daily Use

The Toyota Crown Sedan FCEV joined the brand's lineup in 2023, and instead of keeping it as a niche showroom model, Toyota decided to see how hydrogen performs in real daily use. So they built taxi and police versions and sent them out into the world.

Tokyo’s taxi trial is already underway. A small fleet of hydrogen-powered Crowns is running around the city now, and Toyota expects roughly 200 of them on the streets by March 2026. You can spot them easily—black paint, blue graphics, and big “Tokyo H₂” markings.

Inside, these taxis are set up properly for long days on the road. There’s a second GPS screen, a fare meter, and a divider behind the driver. Passengers get plenty of space, screens on the seatbacks, their own climate controls, and even massage seats. It’s a taxi, but it feels a bit like a lounge on wheels.

Toyota admits the car’s long body can feel big on tight streets, but says the payoff is a quiet ride and smooth power. One driver put it simply: “I’ve never driven a car this good before.” Fares stay at ¥500 ($3), just like any standard Tokyo cab.

For Toyota, the project is about learning how hydrogen works in high-mileage, high-demand roles. CEO Koji Sato called it “a meaningful first step” toward figuring out how hydrogen fits into everyday life.

Toyota also built a police version, revealed in late 2024, for Fukushima prefecture. It wears a classic black-and-white livery, roof lights, bold "Police" lettering, and a hood graphic inspired by Mount Fuji. Even the Toyota badge was swapped for a gold emblem.

Both the taxi and police cars keep the same setup as the regular Crown FCEV: a Mirai-based fuel cell feeding a rear electric motor with 180 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. Three hydrogen tanks give it a range of up to 820 km (510 miles), which is exactly what you want in a car that can’t afford downtime.

For drivers who prefer something more familiar, Toyota still sells the Crown Sedan with a simple self-charging hybrid.

It’s a quiet rollout, but Toyota’s clearly putting hydrogen to the test—not in theory, but on real streets with real drivers.