Toyota surpasses 3,000 Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sales in California
23 January 2018
Sales of the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle has surpassed 3,000 units in California. Having reached this new milestone, Mirai make up more than 80% of all hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States.
The Toyota Mirai, a four-door, mid-size sedan, is a zero-emission hydrogen vehicle with an EP- estimated driving range rating of 312 miles and 67 mpge city/highway/combined. Refueling time is approximately five minutes.
Toyota continues its work to build a hydrogen society and remains committed to supporting the development of a hydrogen refueling network.Thirty-one retail hydrogen stations are now open for business in California, with an additional twelve stations projected to open in California in 2018.
Toyota continues to partner with FirstElement Fuels and Shell to support the creation of a broad network of hydrogen infrastructure in California. Toyota is also collaborating with Air Liquide, a producer of industrial gases, to set up a network of 12 hydrogen fueling stations stretching from New York to Boston, with the first station expected to launch in Boston later this year.
In addition, Toyota is building a new Tri-Gen facility at the Port of Long Beach that will use bio-waste sourced from California’s agricultural industry to generate water, electricity and hydrogen. The hydrogen will fuel all Toyota fuel cell vehicles moving through the Port, including new deliveries of the Mirai sedan and Toyota’s Heavy Duty hydrogen fuel cell class 8 truck, known as Project Portal.
Toyota has also established a range of partnerships with both private and public entities as well as academic institutions to further accelerate its vision of a hydrogen-based future.
This is pretty much bang on schedule, with Toyota planning the release of their slightly smaller and much cheaper to build as the technology matures model II or whatever they will call it in around 2020.
Meanwhile Hyundai is releasing their Nexo CUV this year, and plan similar volume to the Mirai.
The advantages of FCEVs should hit home in a big way when the weather gets chilly in the North East, with very little range reduction.
And Toyota are doing it without being a company only in business due to continual share issues.
Posted by: Davemart | 23 January 2018 at 07:32 AM
With over 3000 FCEVs sold in one State (California) in a few months, it compares favorably with TESLA's first few months? Let's hope that Hyundai's and Honda's FCEVs will also as sell if not more.
With more adverse weather, Canada and many other US States would benefit from FCEVs extended all weather range, free cabin heat and ultra quick refills.
Lower cost, factory mass produced, easily transportable H2 distribution stations, using surplus/excess e-energy, will eventually produce enough low cost ($2/Kg) H2 for competitive FCEV fleet.
Posted by: HarveyD | 23 January 2018 at 09:32 AM
$4.50/kg or so, where it is in volume currently, is fine for being competitive. as FCEVs are more fuel efficient.
Posted by: Davemart | 23 January 2018 at 11:48 AM
The latest claimed potential lowest $2/Kg production cost could translate to something around/under $3.00/Kg retail?
Higher FCEVs total efficiency would make them very competitive with improved near future ICEVs but not necessarily with (equivalent) extended range BEVS, specially where electricity is under $0.15/kWh.
Posted by: HarveyD | 23 January 2018 at 02:17 PM