Toyota Mirai 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”.