Toyota (TM) improves fuel cell technology to 500 miles per hydrogen fill-up

Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) announced yesterday that it has developed a new type of fuel cell hybrid vehicle that can travel more then 500 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. That's right instead of the limited mileage from a pure electric car or a gas-required hybrid vehicle this one just needs hydrogen to hit the 500 mile mark.

Fuel cell vehicles, which have no emissions and are one of the most promising technologies for personal transportation, just got that much better. The deal killer for all hybrid vehicle manufacturers is this: there is no gasoline internal combustion engine needed. Toyota's model requires an electric motor and a hydrogen fuel cell. That's it. The Japanese automaker even said the vehicle would be available in Japan this year, but that there are no plans to distribute it outside that country.

Why not, Toyota? Worried about not being able to supply the demand customers globally may have? Having a zero-gas alternative in some of the most gas-dependent consuming countries in the world would really solidify your track record as the auto manufacturer who "gets it." You've already surpassed General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) as the world's largest auto manufacturer. Why not make that crown quite a bit bigger?