The Mirai: Toyota’s Hydrogen Fueled Future
Meaning “future” in Japanese, the Mirai is Toyota’s first hydrogen vehicle. After 20 years, Toyota has finally completed work on its first hydrogen-powered vehicle. The Mirai will be ready for release by October of this year.
This exciting hydrogen powered Mirai plans leading America down a new path of fuel celled vehicles.
How It Works
Even though a fuel celled vehicle, or FCV, has been in the works for Toyota since the same time as work began on the Prius, the practicality of its arrival hasn’t been around as long.
Fuel cells work when the combining hydrogen and oxygen across a catalyst to produce an electric current. The only byproduct of using hydrogen as fuel is water vapor. Once hydrogen has been pumped into the vehicle, it is stored in carbon fiber fuel tanks where it is then called upon for use.
It’s usage is quite efficient getting an optimum of 300 miles per gallon. 300 miles. That should be enough to make even the biggest skeptics eyes widen.
Hydrogen Power Play
The onboard hydrogen fuel cells generate the electricity which powers the 153 horsepower electric motor. While 153 horsepower can be a less than impressive number, the instant torque of electric vehicles gives the impression of much more power.
The hydrogen tanks and fuel cells are placed in the middle lower of the car which provides a greater center of gravity and with better weight distribution than gas powered cars. This means that it is actually better than its 4,078 lb. curb weight which only adds to its prowess.
Capturing An Audience
While there are currently other hydrogen cars being driven in Japan, the Toyota Mirai is the only mass produced hydrogen car available in America. It is also one of the only FCVs available for purchase rather than just lease.
Competitively priced at $57,500, Toyota is hoping to capture the same energy conscious audience who have remained loyal fans of the Prius. Toyota wants to stay ahead and lead the industry in not just battery or electric powered vehicles, but also in hydrogen fueled vehicles.
Production
Toyota has planned to reach a target of 3,000 units to sell or lease through 2017. They are expecting to almost double that number by 2020. Already with 600 units requested for purchase through online marketing, Toyota is not rushing to deliver on the early demand. Because it’s such a unique car with specific needs, Toyota has the task of making sure the Mirai is sold and treated responsibly to good customer base. Part of the sales decision process is based on proximity to hydrogen stations. While this does add hinderance to the sales of the Mirai, Toyota has a larger obligation to make sure the customer experience is optimal rather than just exciting to sell. To ensure this occurs, they have had to developed an entire customer division around the Mirai.
Positive Customer Experience
Ed LaRocque, Toyota’s national marketing manager for the Mirai, wants to get this right the first time for new their new market. Realizing that the Mirai isn’t the for everyone, Toyota has already decided to be selective with who they sell the car to first. While this may sound snobbish or even pretentious, the unique demands of the car will require specific knowledge and education. They plan on providing this education to new buyers to create a positive customer experience.
Creating Infrastructure
Toyota is aware they have a decent amount of caveats to jump while introducing this product to the public. While creating a strong customer experience is certainly one, another is creating a community of and economy for hydrogen fueled cars.
Toyota’s Craig Scott, who is their manager of national alternative fuel sources, recognizes the infrastructure is about ten years behind the Mirai and other hydrogen vehicles already on the roads.
California is currently the most and almost only state prepared for a hydrogen fueled vehicle. Boasting what’s named “Hydrogen Highway”, which is a public/private partnership that started back in 2004 in the hopes of producing a hydrogen transportation economy, California has been ahead of the game and awaiting the Mirai’s arrival for quite some time now.
However, in the 11 years that Hydrogen Highway has been in existence it’s still only part of the 9 hydrogen stations that are currently operational in the state of California.
Because Toyota is in the business of mobility and not fueling, they have teamed up with First Element Fuels and Air Liquide to create the infrastructure needed to support hydrogen fuel stations for hydrogen vehicles.
Hydrogen Stations
There is already planning and funding for 48 more stations to be available. The immediate goal is for 10-15 to be ready and running by the end of 2015. Next year, Scott would like to see another 20 more stations opened.
Hydrogen stations are set up the same as gasoline pumps are. The hydrogen nozzle works the similarly as a gas nozzle and is even has the same placement on the car where the opening for the gas take would be. The difference being that the hydrogen nozzle plugs into a piece on the car and is locked into place for pumping.
Right now hydrogen has a costs of $3-$3.50 GGE (gasoline gallon equivalent) which is certainly comparable to the price of gasoline right now. However, the hydrogen stations that are already in use suffer from disrepair because of their lack of use. The investment into creating not just a community, but environment where hydrogen cars become part of the
Futuristic Look
The Mirai is a very good looking and practical car of the future. It is also probably a more accurate and realistic approach to the look Toyota is headed in.
A bit more bold and pointedly more aggressive in styling, it’s certainly going to catch the eyes of onlookers, but don’t expect pedestrians to notice.
The Mirai is still an electric vehicle. So even though it’s powered by hydrogen, it runs just as quiet as Iron & Wine’s first record. Should you be lucky enough to live in any of the surrounding areas
that will be selling the Mirai, expect to keep your eyes open for this car to whisper its way through your neighborhood.