Toyota launches Mirai fuel cell vehicle, plans hydrogen stations in Northeast

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Automotive News

Jaclyn Trop
Automotive News
November 16, 2014 - 10:12 pm ET -- UPDATED: 11/17/14 6:50 am ET - adds Toyoda video, link

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Toyota offered more details about its long-awaited Mirai fuel cell vehicle and said it plans to build a dozen hydrogen refueling stations in the Northeast U.S.

The Mirai -- meaning “future” in Japanese -- will be sold in California and Europe early next year, can travel 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen and refuel in three to five minutes, Toyota said at an event here today. It goes on sale in Japan soon, but no specific date was announced.

Information on price and projected U.S. volumes will be announced Monday.
....

Jaclyn Trop 310-426-2419 [e-mail]
Los Angeles Bureau Chief

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20141116/OEM05/141119872/toyota-launches-mirai-fuel-cell-vehicle-plans-hydrogen-stations-in

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It's been discussed earlier at DU:

Toyota quietly rolls 2015 fuel cell car into town

[valerief]

1. I love it!!!! nt

[Sunlei]

2. I want a hydrogen car, the one that can plug into a home to power the home.

suv type with a camper set-up. Bring hydrogen cars and stations to Houston soon!! Make a SUV camper with the 'house electric hook-up soon

[Native]

3. I thought the commercial was pretty epic too!

[ET Awful]

4. So they're building refueling stations in the North East but NOT

selling the car there?

As excited as I am about the car, it doesn't do me much good if I can get the fuel but no car.

[ut oh]

5. and to top it off

they are not building station in California where they will be selling them...

[geomon666]

6. California already has fuel cell stations. n/t

[truthisfreedom]

7. Compare apples to apples for zero-emission vehicles here:

This is very interesting:

http://ark-invest.com/industrial-innovation/mirai-vs-tesla-toyotas-challenge-with-fuel-cells

[NutmegYankee]

8. I'm not much of a fan of fuel cell vehicles.

I built one as part of a design team at Virginia Tech, the only student team at the time using hydrogen as a fuel source. The proton exchange fuel cell we were using was valued at $750,000 at that time. After dealing with the many challenges of using hydrogen (ultra tight seals needed for the smallest gas, lowest energy density of any gas, and finding materials that won't embrittle when exposed to it), I'm convinced that electric cars with on-board range extenders (like a bio-diesel engine) are the way to go.