Toyota launches hydrogen cars in Australia

Toyota has marked its commitment to Hydrogen-powered vehicles in Australia by commencing the first local trials of its Mirai, the world's first mass-produced hydrogen fuel-cell car.

Revealed back in 2014 and now on sale in Japan, Europe and the US, the small Mirai sedan features a single electric motor that produces and 113kW and 335Nm and operates just like a plug-in electric vehicle.

However, unlike a conventional EV, it's much quicker to fuel up – taking between three and five minutes to fill up a tank, which in this case means 5kg of compressed hydrogen that's good for a 550km cruising range.

It's this drawcard -- the rapid fuelling -- that Toyota hopes will help foster new interest in hydrogen technology in Australia.

An EV by comparison takes between 30 and 60 minutes to charge up with a fast-charge outlet, and can take up to 10 hours via a regular domestic wall socket.

The only problem is, there's only one hydrogen refuelling point in Australia -- and it's owned by Hyundai.

Toyota Australia's solution is mobile refuelling truck that will tour Australia with the Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell cars to demonstrate the technology.

Understood to be worth more than $1million, the development of the high-tech fuelling station is crucial in the company's bid to convince Australians of the merits of hydrogen cars, says Bernie O'Connor, Toyota Australia’s fuel-cell project sponsor and senior executive adviser to the board

"The decision to invest in a mobile refueller demonstrates Toyota's commitment to maintaining its leading role in developing flexible and personal mobility solutions for the next 100 years," he said.

"It is the first high-pressure hydrogen refueller in Australia that can completely fill a fuel cell vehicle.

"This is a practical and necessary measure to enable people around Australia to learn about and experience first-hand the game-changing Mirai and its ground-breaking technology," he said.

Around 1500 Mirai cars have been sold in Japan, USA and Europe – the only regions with hydrogen fuel stations – but the company reckons 30,000 vehicles will be in circulation by 2020.

Toyota Australia understands that commercialisation of hydrogen cars in this country is a long way off, but is banking on big fleet buyers — including governments, universities and corporations — getting on board.

"Our local vision is that, as a first step, government departments and businesses running back-to-base fleets will be able to arrange appropriate refuelling. In parallel, we see great merit in the introduction of strategically placed refuellers in our larger cities," said O'Connor.

The Toyota Mirai is a four-seat luxury car that sells for around $57,000 in the USA. Buyers in that country also get a $7000 government incentive.

At present Australian buyers have little incentive to adopt zero-emission vehicles.

Nevertheless, Toyota is adamant the technology will take off and Andrew Willis, Toyota Australia's manager for government affairs and environment, says the company's long-term goal will become a reality for Australians too.

"Globally Toyota has a 2050 target to have production vehicle emissions reduced by 90 per cent. We do have the technologies to do so but we need to roll them out."

"We have these cars in place until mid-2019. Our purpose there is to really showcase and better explain to consumers and governments and other stakeholders [this technology]."

The Mirai's hydrogen fuel-cell stack generates electricity via a chemical reaction between hydrogen and incoming oxygen, releasing electrons to power the electric motor.

There's a battle looming between hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future, but reports out of Japan suggest Toyota may be hedging its bets by developing pure EVs too.

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