Toyota Sells Over 3,000 Mirai Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles In California

Toyota has announced that it has reached a milestone with the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The car has passed over 3,000 units sold in California. That number means that the Mirai makes up over 80% of all hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the roads in the US.

Toyota's Mirai is a four-door mid-size sedan that produces zero emissions. It has an EPA estimated driving range of 312 miles and gets 67 mpge city/highway/combined. The Mirai performs on par with traditional gas-powered vehicles according to Toyota, but the Mirai uses no gas.

The refueling time of the hydrogen vehicles about five minutes. The hydrogen creates electricity using oxygen and a fuel cell and the only byproduct emitted during that conversion process is water vapor. Toyota also notes that it is committed to building a hydrogen refueling network.

For now, California is one of the only places where you can refuel a hydrogen-powered car, which is why the vehicle is only sold in California. Air Liquide and Toyota are working together to set up a network of 12 additional hydrogen fueling stations that will stretch from New York to Boston to expand the availability and appeal of the Mirai.

Toyota is also working on a new hydrogen production facility at the Port of Long Beach that will use bio-waste from the agriculture industry in California to generate water, electricity, and hydrogen. That hydrogen will power Toyota fuel cell vehicles that are moving through the port.

SOURCE: Toyota