Toyota Executive Claims EV Technology Isn't Practical - Forgets There Are Only 12 Hydrogen Refuling Stations Nationwide

A Toyota executive explains why he believes the Mirai and hydrogen fuel cells will power the alternative fuel vehicle future — and not battery electrics like Tesla.

Toyota will begin taking “requests” for its hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle Mirai on Monday. The initial goal is 3,000 units by the end of 2017.  With a range of EPA estimated 312 miles, the car will launch in California in October, 2015.

So, why the hydrogen fuel-cell electric Mirai and not, for instance, a long-range battery version of the Prius? I asked Craig Scott, national alternative fuel vehicle manager at Toyota, to explain.  Below is an excerpt from that interview.

Agent009 - 7/21/2015 11:10:13 AM

+4 Boost

Source For Fuel Cell Station Count:
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/stations_counts.html

MicrosoftUser - 7/21/2015 12:44:50 PM

+4 Boost

Man! How much uglier or hideous can Toyota design cars just to get your attention. I saw one at the local auto show and it is a absolute design disaster both inside and out bar none. Even a Pontiac Aztec looks better than this.

TheSteve - 7/21/2015 12:49:58 PM

+4 Boost

Yeah, we've done this one before. The really dumb thing about hydrogen fuel cells can be summarized as:
1) Used 10 units of electricity to transform raw hydrogen into hydrogen fuel
2) Use a fuel cell to transform hydrogen fuel into 1 unit of electricity
3) Use that electricity to propel the car

Until we can find an abundant, clean, cheap, and renewable source of electricity, fuel cell cars, as well as hydrogen-powered cars of any kind, are an impractical pipe dream. This doesn't even take into account the practicalities of transporting, storing, and distributing the hydrogen fuel, which in itself is a colossal problem.

MDarringer - 7/21/2015 12:56:04 PM

+1 Boost

Gas + PHEV is the best solution

vdiv - 7/21/2015 1:29:53 PM

+2 Boost

Oh?1 So when are you getting a Volt? :)

MDarringer - 7/21/2015 7:53:52 PM

-3 Boost

A Volt is NOT the best PHEV. Try a Fusion Energi and know true quality. The Volt is something excreted out of the ass of the old GM and the new one is worse. I drive a Fusion SE 2.5 as my company car because so many of our customers buy that configuration, but I'd do a Fusion Energi in a heartbeat. The Volt is a truly Third World product. I rejected one as a company car.

vdiv - 7/22/2015 7:38:40 AM

+3 Boost

So why haven't you done a PHEV "in a heart beat" if it "is the best solution"?