Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Archives

Toyota Mirai FCEV fleet in Germany clocks total of over 5 million kms

As Toyota prepares to start production of the second generation of its Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), one of its customers in Europe has covered over 5 million kilometres with its Mirai fleet. CleverShuttle, a ride pooling service in Germany, has set a record of sorts for having the most used Mirai fleet in the world.

During the two and a half years that the company has been running the Mira, its cars have covered a distance equivalent to six and a half times the distance from Earth to the moon and back.

“Fuel cell electric vehicles such as Toyota Mirai became an important pillar for us, thanks to their reliability. They have allowed us to provide countless passengers with comfortable rides, emitting nothing but water vapour,” said Jan Hofmann, COO & CO-Founder of CleverShuttle

CleverShuttle acquired its first batch of Mirais in September 2017 with 20 units initially which were offered in Hamburg. The fleet was progressively expanded up to 45 cars which were distributed at several German locations.

Reliability a strong point
Throughout this period, no repairs or parts replacements were needed, apart from regular maintenance, according to Ferry M.M. Franz, Director of Toyota Motor Europe in Berlin. “The experience of driving 5 million kilometres shows that fuel cell vehicles are already perfectly suitable for everyday use. No technical defects whatsoever and the unrestricted performance of the fuel cell, with mileage up to 180,000 kilometres per car so far, demonstrate the maturity and durability of Toyota’s fuel cell system,” he said.

The Mirai was introduced in 2014 and has been available in Europe since 2015. It is available to both private and commercial customers. The 4-seater is emission-free, requiring only hydrogen which the fuel cell converts into electrical energy to power the motors.

The combined output of the electric motors is 113 kW (154 ps) and on a full tank of hydrogen, the Mirai can travel up to 500 kms. Unlike a battery pack which requires some time to recharge, refuelling the Mirai is said to take just under 3 minutes. Of course, hydrogen stations are limited at this time and it will be a while before a widespread network is established.

Technically sophisticated with its advanced technology, the Mirai has served as a catalyst for increasing global awareness of how a future clean and sustainable hydrogen society might be achieved. Just as the Prius hybrid has been progressively improved since it was launched in the late 1990s, the next Mirai will mark a new stage for FCEV technology. Improvements in fuel cell system performance and increased hydrogen storage capacity will extend its driving range.

Toyota Mirai Concept previews next generation of FCEV to be launched at the end of 2020

Toyota to start selling second generation of Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in late 2020

Toyota introduced its first commercially-available hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) – the Mirai – in 2014. Technically sophisticated with its advanced technology, the Mirai has served as a catalyst for increasing global awareness of how a future clean and sustainable hydrogen society might be achieved.

Now, 5 years later, after real-world usage and further developments in fuel cell technology, the second generation is due for introduction towards the end of this year. It will be available initially in Japan, North America and Europe.

At the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota provided an early glimpse of the advances it is making across the board with the new Mirai, in terms of technical excellence, dynamic performance, and desirable design. Efficiency is still a critical area, and Toyota is targeting a 30% increase in the Mirai’s driving range (around 500 kms with the first generation model) through improvements to the fuel cell system and the use of larger on-board hydrogen tanks.

The new Mirai sits on Toyota’s latest rear wheel drive modular platform (TNGA-based) which has been engineered to accommodate different powertrains – including a hydrogen fuel cell – at the outset. It further gives the new Mirai a higher degree of body rigidity, which contributes to greater agility and responsiveness, and a lower centre of gravity, which makes for nimble, rewarding handling.

There will be three tanks – one long, two short – which together increase the fuel capacity by around one kilogram of hydrogen compared to the current model. As well as extending the potential driving range, improvements in the performance of the fuel cell system give more linear, smooth response when moving off. Handling is also said to be light and easy on winding roads.

2015 Toyota Mirai FC — *First generation of the Mirai. Some 10,000 units have been sold since 2015.*

2021 Toyota Mirai FCEV — *Concept model of second generation which was shown last year.*

The big change for the new Mirai’s is its exterior design, with low lines and a sleek, taut bodywork with large, 20-inch diameter wheels that together generate a powerful and distinctive look.

The interior has been conceived as a simple, modern space with a warm, comfortable ambience that adds to the sense this is a car that’s genuinely enjoyable to drive and travel in. Key elements include a 12.3-inch centre display and an instrument panel that wraps around the driver. The platform and intelligent packaging allow for five seats to be provided in place of the current Mirai’s four.

“We have pursued the goal of making a car that customers will feel they want to drive all time, a car that has an emotional and attractive design and the kind of dynamic and responsive performance that can bring a smile to the driver’s face,” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, the new Mirai’s Chief Engineer who also headed the team for the development of the first generation.

“I want customers to say ‘I chose the Mirai not just because it’s an FCEV, but because I simply wanted this car; it just happens to be an FCEV.’ We will continue our development work focusing on that feeling, and we hope that with the new Mirai, we will be a leader in helping realise a hydrogen energy society,” he added.

Toyota Mirai Concept previews next generation of FCEV to be launched at the end of 2020

Toyota Mirai Concept previews next generation of FCEV to be launched at the end of 2020

Although the pace of sales for Toyota’s first fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV), the Mirai, has not been as fast as for the Prius, which was its first mass-produced hybrid model, the carmaker is pushing ahead with development of FCEVs. It is already in the final stage of development of the next generation of the Mirai and will display a concept model at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show this month. It is expected that the production model will look very much like the concept shown in these pictures.

“We have worked to make a car that customers will want to drive all the time, a car that has an emotional and attractive design and the kind of dynamic and responsive performance that can bring a smile to the driver’s face,” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer of the first generation Mirai as well as the second generation. “I want customers to say ‘I chose the Mirai because I simply wanted this car, and it just happens to be an FCEV.’ We will continue our development work focusing on that feeling, and we hope that with the new Mirai, we will be a leader in helping to realize a hydrogen energy society.”

Improved in all aspects
The totally re-designed Mirai reflects a major step forward for FCEVs and the potential of a hydrogen society, boasting significantly greater range, improved driving performance, and an elegant, sporty design that offers increased passenger room and comfort. It will be able to accommodate 5 occupants instead of four in the current Mirai.

2018 Toyota Mirai FCEV — *Current Mirai which was introduced in 2014. Approximately 10,000 units have been sold globally.*

Launched in 2014, the first-generation of the FCEV proved the global potential of hydrogen to power clean and sustainable mobility, combining a driving range with refuelling time equivalent to conventional vehicles and no emissions but water. Since then, approximately 10,000 units have been sold globally, helping pave the way towards a hydrogen society that will reduce emissions, diversify energy sources, and generate global economic growth.

Scheduled for launch starting in late 2020, initially in Japan, North America and Europe, the second-generation Mirai is said to be much more than an eco-car, marking a new stage for FCEV technology. Improvements in fuel cell system performance and increased hydrogen storage capacity mean the new Mirai will target an increase in driving range.

The car has also been totally redesigned based on Toyota’s premium rear-wheel drive TNGA platform to combine greater agility and driving performance with a sleek and elegant exterior design. It will be presented in a newly developed exterior colour (called Force Blue Multiple Layers), that uses layers of colour to achieve exceptional brightness and depth.

Substantial improvements in driving performance
Engineered from the start to accommodate Toyota’s full range of powertrains, including hydrogen fuel cells, Toyota’s latest modular platform gives the Mirai Concept a higher degree of body rigidity, which contributes to greater agility and responsiveness, and a lower centre of gravity, which makes for nimble, rewarding handling.

Improvements to the fuel cell system go beyond increased range to offer linear, smooth response when pulling away, unity between the driver’s throttle inputs and the car’s acceleration. Handling is light and easy on winding roads, while highway driving produces an exceptional sense of power at all speeds.

Next stage of FCEV Technology
The fully-redesigned fuel cell system, including its fuel cell stack, will deliver substantially improved performance. This includes targeting a 30% increase in driving range over the current generation, thanks to increased hydrogen storage capacity, among other measures.

The Japanese government is promoting hydrogen as the fuel of the future for the country, with next year’s Olympics event serving as a starting point for the move. Its Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI) has set a target of 200,000 fuel cell vehicles on the road by 2025 and up to 800,000 by 2030. As with electrical recharging stations for hybrids, there will need to be a substantial network of hydrogen filling stations throughout the country and METI has set target of 900.

(more…)

Piston.my