A new era of zero-emission mobility fueled by hydrogen has arrived with the Mirai.
Although Mirai has an extremely advanced powertrain and uses a new type of fuel, the Mirai is a regular mid-size, four-door sedan that is every bit as practical, safe, and easy to drive as a conventionally powered family car. Although the name Mirai means “future” in Japanese, we know that it has to be accessible and appealing to people today if it is to be successful.
The benefits include a quiet, smooth drive, high performance, and no exhaust emissions other than water vapour. It will travel as far on a full tank of hydrogen as a comparable-sized petrol car, and refueling from empty takes between three and five minutes.
A interaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy in the Toyota Fuel Cell System seen in the Mirai.
The fuel is stored in high-pressure tanks and supplied into a fuel cell stack, where the hydrogen and oxygen from the air react to produce electricity. You purchase hydrogen fuel at a filling station in the same way you do gasoline or diesel.
Similar to a gasoline-electric hybrid, the electric current is increased in voltage to power the electric motor, and additional energy is stored in a battery each time the vehicle brakes or slows down.
We are the first company in the world to provide a system with a power density of 3.1 kW per liter thanks to our decades of research and development in hybrid electric technology.
In This Article...
A Toyota Mirai runs on gas or electricity.
The 2022 Mirai is Toyota’s premium zero emission, rear-wheel drive fuel-cell electric vehicle. It was named one of Ward’s Automotive’s 10 Best Engine and Propulsion Systems winners for 2021, and it has a starting price of $49,500*. (FCEV).
The Toyota Mirai’s method of propulsion
The Toyota Mirai is propelled by a so-called fuel-cell electric powertrain, in which the onboard fuel cellbasically a mobile chemical labconverts hydrogenwhich can really originate from cow poo among other sourcesinto energy. Electrons are removed from hydrogen atoms in fuel cells to produce electricity; the hydrogen then combines with oxygen to form water, and the electrons drive an electric motor. As a result, an electric car is created that is powered by hydrogen from a pump as opposed to electrons from the country’s electrical power infrastructure. The 182 horsepower generated by the Mirai’s electric motor is all transferred to the rear wheels via a one-speed direct-drive transmission. Although Toyota states that the Mirai takes 9.1 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, when cruising about town, it feels more brisk than that. A surprising amount of agility is also delivered by the rear-wheel drive chassis while maintaining a smooth and composed ride.
What is the price of a gallon of hydrogen fuel?
Although hydrogen fuel is four times more expensive than gasoline and about $16 per gallon, it is far more efficient than gasoline.
Gas or hydrogen is more affordable?
The majority of hydrogen utilized in the United States is generated on-site or nearby, often at sizable industrial facilities. It is still necessary to build the infrastructure for supplying hydrogen to the vast national network of fuelling stations needed for the widespread deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles. Building out these distribution networks is the primary objective of the initial rollout for vehicles and stations, which is predominantly done in southern and northern California.
Currently, there are three ways to deliver hydrogen:
Pipeline: This method is the least expensive for delivering large amounts of hydrogen, but it has a limited capacity due to the fact that there are only 1,600 miles of hydrogen transport pipes in the United States at the moment. These pipelines are situated close to significant chemical and petroleum refineries in Illinois, California, and the Gulf Coast.
High-Pressure Tube Trailers: High-Pressure Tube Trailers are expensive and are often used for transporting compressed hydrogen gas over lengths of 200 miles or fewer by truck, railway, ship, or barge.
Cryogenic liquefaction is a technique that cools hydrogen to a temperature where it turns into a liquid, producing liquefied hydrogen tankers. Despite the cost of the liquefaction process, hydrogen may be delivered by truck, railcar, ship, or barge over larger distances more effectively than using high-pressure tube trailers. If the rate of consumption of the liquefied hydrogen is insufficient, it will boil out (or evaporate) from its containment vessels. The distribution and consumption rates of hydrogen must be precisely coordinated as a result.
There are numerous difficulties in developing an infrastructure for hydrogen transport and distribution to thousands of individual fuelling stations in the future. Hydrogen is more expensive to transport, store, and deliver to the place of use than all other fuels because it has a lower energy density per unit volume than all other fuels. The initial capital expenses of constructing a new hydrogen pipeline network are considerable, and the properties of hydrogen create special difficulties in the design of compressors and pipeline materials. However, as hydrogen can be created from a wide range of resources, regional or even local hydrogen production can make the best use of available resources while reducing distribution issues.
Between centralized and dispersed manufacturing, there are trade-offs to take into account. Centralized generation of hydrogen in sizable plants lowers production costs but raises delivery expenses. For instance, producing hydrogen at filling stations reduces distribution costs but raises production costs due to the expense of setting up on-site production facilities.
Research and development initiatives by the government and business are removing the obstacles to effective hydrogen delivery. The Office of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies has more information about hydrogen delivery.
What is the price to fill up a Mirai?
In a perfect world, refueling a hydrogen car should take about the same amount of time as refueling a gasoline or diesel vehicle. Since the fuel is under pressure (up to 10,000 psi), you must lock the nozzle in place, but after you do that, you should be good to go. The pressure at the station, however, may really drop off momentarily if there are multiple automobiles waiting in line for hydrogen, slowing down everyone. If multiple cars use it in a sequence, the nozzle may also freeze, adhering to the cars and making removal more difficult until it thaws out.
Currently, it can be expensive to fill up a car with hydrogen, in part due to the lack of infrastructure. For instance, refueling the Mirai would run you roughly $90 per throw if you had to pay for it (by the kilogram). However, if all goes according to plan, you can drive around releasing only water, which is a pleasant perk.
Watch Tommy’s video below for additional information on the Mirai and what it’s like to live with it:
What drawbacks come with driving a hydrogen vehicle?
- High prices for new vehicles
- elevated depreciation
- Charger issues could arise.
- Lack of infrastructure for hydrogen-powered vehicles
- limited number of vehicle options
- Technology is still developing.
- Large R&D expenditures are required.
- hefty fuel prices
- safety issues
- Making hydrogen could not be environmentally favorable.
In addition to a scarcity of gas stations, many auto repair businesses also lack the expertise necessary for repairs and maintenance because most mechanics are still getting to know this relatively new technology.
As a result, if you experience problems with your hydrogen engine, it could be difficult for you to locate a mechanic.
Is there a battery in the Toyota Mirai?
Several parts that are included in the 2021 Toyota Mirai support the fuel-cell powertrain. Let’s examine each component in turn. We begin with a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that has 330 cells and a 128 kW power output. This fuel cell is housed in an aluminum casing with a titanium separator and is situated under the front hoor. Next, there are three Type-Four hydrogen tanks with a combined weight of 24 kg, a maximum filling pressure of 87.5 MPa, a typical operational pressure of 70 MPa, and an H2 tank capacity of 5.6 kg. These tanks can be refueled in about five minutes.
The drive battery comes next. A 310.8V lithium ion battery is used to assist power the Toyota Mirai. The battery in question has a 1.24 kWh capacity, and its pack weighs 44.6 kg. A permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor with a maximum output of 182 horsepower and a torque level of 221 lb-ft is the following in the lineup. Rear-wheel drive is the Mirai’s standard form of propulsion. Not to mention, there are three different drive modes: ECO, Normal, and Sport.
How long does a hydrogen fuel cell last?
The fuel cell stacks are made to last for roughly 150,000,000,000 miles, or the lifespan of the vehicle. Similar to how parts for vehicles are currently recycled, the fuel cell will be disassembled at the end of its useful life.
How long does a Toyota Mirai’s hydrogen fuel tank last?
A 2021 Toyota Mirai established a Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled by a fuel-cell vehicle without refueling by traveling 845 miles on a single hydrogen tank. There are a few restrictions on that record, though.
According to a press release from Toyota, the Mirai was primarily driven during rush hour. This allowed drivers to go very slowly, which increases the Mirai’s range. Additionally, it was mostly driven in Southern California loops rather than straight lines. According to Toyota, the record attempt took place during the two days of August 23 and 24, 2021, covering 473 miles on the first day and 372 miles on the second.
This was a very unusual driving style and was not at all practical in the actual world because the crew used hypermiling techniques to optimize range, such as turning off equipment and overinflating the tires.
The Mirai has a tank life of 357 miles in Limited form and 402 miles in XLE form, according to the EPA, with the LE earning higher fuel economy than the Honda Clarity. The figures obtained by Toyota, which are similar to a regular driving range that is more than double the EPA rating, won’t be experienced by most drivers.
Even yet, this is a noteworthy accomplishment all by itself. According to Toyota, the Mirai achieved 152 MPGe and traveled the distance on only 12.4 pounds of hydrogen. On a weight basis, that is less than the weight of two gallons of gas, or more than 420 mpg, with a gallon of fuel weighing roughly 6.3 pounds. The Mirai weights 4,255 pounds, which is significantly less than a comparable battery-electric vehicle for a large, premium sedan.
Additionally, Toyota claims that the Mirai produces “zero emissions” when driving and cleans the air.
A large portion of hypermiling entails, at the very least, traveling very slowly. But it’s a useful mental exercise to consider how much efficiency you might be giving up by adjusting to standard driving speeds and patterns.
Over the years, we’ve reported about a variety of hypermilers, such the Jaguar XJ-S driver who got 36 mpg or the pair that drove their Jetta TDI 9,505 miles across the United States while averaging 67 mpg. In a battery-electric vehicle, you may travel many, many more miles on a charge if you’re willing to drive slowly enough.
At least one possible fuel-cell device claims to have a 1,000-mile range while going to great lengths to achieve it. That supercar, the Hyperion XP-1, likewise boasts a stated top speed of 221 mph.
Stunts like the hypermiling one match Toyota’s continuing efforts to advance fuel cells. As part of kits to replace the diesel engines in Class 8 semi trucks, the business recently announced its intention to manufacture fuel-cell modules in the United States. As with previous record runs, this most recent experiment doesn’t really prove much, but the numbers are what matter.