Putting the next 100 years in motion
The Frankfurt Motor Show marks the European commercial debut of the Toyota Mirai. With the first European customers taking delivery in the coming weeks in Germany, Denmark and the UK, this is the beginning of a new era.
Through its world-leading hybrid technology, Toyota has globally popularized eco-cars, beginning with the PRIUS, that has contributed to the global environment like no other car. Yet, the severity of issues such as global warming, environmental pollution and the exhaustion of oil and other fossil fuels is increasing.
If we want to secure the future of the automobile as flexible, personal transport for the next 100 years, we need to consider which energy can power our cars tomorrow. At Toyota, we believe that various technologies will co-exist, ranging from EVs over hybrids to perhaps the most innovative of all, the fuel cell car or FCV.
Instead of gasoline, FCVs are fueled by hydrogen, an environmentally friendly energy source that can be produced from a variety of raw materials including solar and wind power, biofuel, and natural gas.
Moreover, they run using the energy generated on board by a fuel cell stack. The energy efficiency of FCVs is higher than that of gasoline engines and they conserve energy, as well.
They are zero emission vehicles, emitting only water during driving. They are as easy to use as conventional vehicles and are capable of long trips thanks to their range and refuelling time, both comparable to those of a petrol car.
With the launch of the Toyota Mirai, we take one step closer towards a “sustainable mobility society”.
While walking around the Toyota booth, Hall 8, stand D19, stop by the blue bubble area and see The Future for yourself.
Trend: Powertrain shift: 85% of all worlds’ automotive patents are issued in alternative powertrains with Hybrids having the biggest share
Trend Leader: Toyota with 26% of the world’s patents
A recent study conducted by the Germany’s Center of Automotive Management (CAM) at the University of Applied Scienses FHDW, has spotted a persisting trend in the automotive industry’s patents issued by carmakers: conventional internal combustion engines research has stagnated over the years, whereas research on the alternative (or shall we say the “new mainstream”) Hybrid and EV powertrains has moved to the leading position in the research volume.
It was the summer of 2000. The world had comfortably survived the Millennium Bug, Kylie Minogue’s “Spinning Around” was on top of the music charts in the UK, and Google had just released the first 10 language versions of Google.com in French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian and Danish. In Rotterdam, the very first production Toyota Prius hybrid to be sold in Europe reached the continent.
Prius means “to go before” – a precursor to a new era of electrified mobility. Today, the first production Toyota Mirai – meaning “the future” in Japanese – destined for the European market has arrived, and, like its elder, it is here to pioneer the next step in clean mobility, using hydrogen as fuel and emitting nothing but water vapour.
The first five Mirai cars were unloaded in Bristol, UK and Zeebrugge, Belgium, respectively on 8 and 10 August.
“This marks the debut of a new age for clean mobility — a turning point in the history of automobiles. With Mirai, Toyota is working on bringing clean, safe and enjoyable mobility for the next 100 years, thanks to fuel cell technology. We are looking forward to the start of delivery of the first Mirai to customers from September and to see the future taking shape on European roads. As with Prius 15 years ago, we are proud to bring yet another groundbreaking innovation to Europe with Mirai”, said Mr Karl Schlicht, Executive Vice-President Toyota Motor Europe.
The Toyota Mirai is the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell sedan. After its first public display in Europe in March at the Geneva Motor Show, today marks its debut on European ground. Already sold in Japan since last December, the Toyota Mirai will be launched in Europe from September in the UK, Denmark and Germany.
With Mirai, Toyota is at the forefront of the fuel cell development thanks to our advanced engineering capabilities and our deep knowledge and experience of Hybrid technology. Mirai will allow us to grow awareness, knowledge and acceptance of the fuel cell technology and to promote the development of the required hydrogen infrastructure. It will also help us understand customer experience with the new technology, with trailblazers who want to drive the hydrogen movement forward.
Mirai uses the pioneering Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which features both fuel cell technology and hybrid technology, and includes Toyota’s new proprietary fuel cell stack and high-pressure hydrogen tanks.
Using hydrogen as fuel to generate electricity, Mirai achieves superior environment performance with no CO2 emissions or pollutants when driving, and the same level of convenience and autonomy as gasoline engine vehicles, with a generous cruising range and a hydrogen refuelling time of about three to five minutes.
More than 5,600 fuel cell and related patents available for royalty free use
Patents include industry leading fuel cell technology used in new Toyota Mirai
A few seconds before the cloth falls down
We consider fuel cell to be a key technology to future mobility – and on our stand at Paris we have another showstopper: the Fuel Cell Sedan. After 20 years of development, our first production hydrogen car, the Fuel Cell Sedan will be coming to Europe in the summer of 2015, initially available in the UK, Germany and Denmark.
Can you see what it is yet?
We’re at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show and, this year, we are looking into the future (both distant and not so distant) as well as today. And for the now, we have something really fun to show the world. Click through the break to read more. (more…)
Toyota FCV Concept
Toyota’s pioneering hydrogen-powered fuel cell car, the Toyota FCV Concept, will have its world debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show starting November 20. Don’t worry if you can’t make it, we’ve got all the juicy bits after the break. Click through to find out.
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