Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen-based advanced fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is being hailed as a key step in the country’s transition to zero-emission vehicles after its launch in India.
Toyota Kirloskar Motors and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) have initiated a pilot project to research and evaluate the world’s most advanced FCEV on Indian roads and in different climates.
The project’s goal is to assess the viability of FCEV technology in India and raise awareness about the benefits of hydrogen fuel cells and FCEV technology to society. The Toyota Mirai is one of the few automobiles in the world that utilises FCEV technology and is powered entirely by hydrogen.
Nitin Gadkari driven across Delhi in a Toyota Mira to raise awareness about FCEV’s
As the Indian market becomes increasingly receptive to electric vehicles (EVs), additional options to all-electric vehicles appear to be on the horizon. In his ongoing push for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has been driving a Toyota Mirai pilot study car on a daily basis. Watch him being driven across Delhi to raise awareness about the benefits of FCEVs.
The FCEV pilot project was announced by the transport ministry in March to assess the technology’s potential in the Indian setting. He has stated that India’s FCEVs will be powered by green hydrogen, and that the country’s goal is to be able to export green hydrogen.
… and its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India.
Shri Gadkari assured that Green Hydrogen will be manufactured in India, Green Hydrogen refuelling stations will be established generating sustainable employment opportunities in the country. pic.twitter.com/6SQR52MHjc
— Office Of Nitin Gadkari (@OfficeOfNG) March 30, 2022
Facts about Toyota Mirai
- In Japanese, the word Mirai implies “future.”
- The Toyota Mirai is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell battery pack with a range of 650 kilometres on a single hydrogen tank.
- The Toyota Mirai just takes five minutes to refill.
- The Mirai has an electric powertrain and a high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank.
- The Mirai has an electricity generator that uses hydrogen gas to generate energy.
- Water is the only thing the automobile emits.
- The Toyota Mirai was originally introduced in 2014, and it is currently available in Japan, Europe, the United States, and a few other countries.
- Toyota’s facility in Karnataka will produce the second-generation version of the automobile for India.
- Mirai’s fuel (green hydrogen) can be produced using renewable energy sources and abundant biomass.
- The development and acceptance of FCEV technology will assist India in unlocking the promise of green hydrogen and will play a critical part in ensuring a clean and affordable energy future.
How does the ‘Mirai’ work?
The Toyota Fuel Cell System in the Mirai generates power through a hydrogen-oxygen reaction.
Hydrogen fuel is purchased in the same way as gasoline or diesel is purchased at a gas station. The fuel is stored in high-pressure tanks and fed into a fuel cell stack, where hydrogen and oxygen react to generate power.
The power is raised in voltage to operate the electric motor, just like in a petrol-electric hybrid. Every time the automobile stops or slows down, more energy is captured in the battery, resulting in even improved fuel economy.
We were the first in the world to produce a system with a power density of 3.1kW per litre thanks to their decades of research and development in hybrid electric technology.
The Fuel Cell Electronic Technology explained
Power Control Unit
A technique for optimally controlling both fuel cell stack output and battery charging and discharging under multiple operational conditions.
Fuel Cell Boost Converter
A new small, high-efficiency, high-capacity converter for boosting fuel cell stack voltage to 650V has been created. To have a higher voltage output than the input, a boost converter is employed.
Battery
A nickel metal hydride battery that stores deceleration energy and aids fuel cell stack output during acceleration.
High Pressure Hydrogen Tanks
Tanks containing hydrogen as fuel. A high pressure level of 70 MPa is used as the nominal working pressure ( 700 bar ). The tank storage density of the compact lightweight tanks is the best in the world. There is 5.7wt% storage density in tanks.
Fuel Cell Stack
Toyota’s first mass produced fuel cell, with a compact design and world-leading output density.
3.1 kW/L power density in volume
114 kW maximum output (155 DIN hp)
Motor
Electricity is generated by the fuel cell stack and provided by a battery to power the motor. 113 kW is the maximum output (154 DIN hp). Maximum torque: 335 N-m
Why Toyota shifted gears towards electric vehicles
Toyota Motor Corporation has pledged an investment of 8 trillion yen ($70 billion) to electrify its vehicles by 2030. Half of the pledge will go toward developing a battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineup, as the automaker seeks to capitalise on a burgeoning market for zero-emission vehicles. Long after its global competitors have or are shifting away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that use fossil fuels, the company’s CEO announced the change to battery vehicles.
While some have characterised the decision as abrupt, early signals pointed to changes at the world’s largest manufacturer. The company has previously stated that it was working on a new Europe-specific vehicle architecture that would be capable of accommodating full-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric powertrains.
Toyota, which had previously warned against the rapid adoption of EVs, now doubts that people will buy battery-powered EVs, claiming that EVs aren’t always better for the environment than hybrid vehicles and that a sudden move to EVs could jeopardise Japan’s auto sector.
While Toyota is new to the BEV game, it has been a trailblazer in the development of other carbon-neutral vehicles. The Prius, the company’s hybrid electric vehicle, is one of the most popular hybrid automobiles on the market. The business has also been at the forefront of hybrid car development and research, as well as plug-in electric vehicles and hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
What makes FCEVs different from regular EVs?
Electric vehicles are propelled by electric motors and get their power from a battery pack that must be replenished by hooking into a power source. FCEVs use electric motors to propel them, but instead of a massive battery pack, they use a tiny battery pack combined with a hydrogen fuel cell.
The energy released from the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is used to power the fuel cell. FCEVs store hydrogen gas at high pressure in a sealed tank, making refuelling as simple, quick, and familiar as filling up at a gasoline, diesel, or compressed natural gas (CNG) station.
One, because there is no need for a large battery pack, they can be built lighter than electric automobiles without compromising range. Two, they can be refuelled considerably faster than electric vehicles, and they don’t require high-power public chargers.
