The Extraordinary Journey of Mirai: Unveiling the Significance of the 1000 km Drive Test in France
In a groundbreaking achievement, a task force in France has set a new world record for the longest distance traveled by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle on a single refuel. The record-breaking drive was accomplished using a Toyota Mirai, a testament to the potential of renewable energy for a zero-emissions society.
The Mirai, according to European catalog listings, has a cruising range of approximately 650 km on a single hydrogen refuel. However, the team in France exceeded this figure by more than 100 km, completing a 1,000+ km drive in May 2021.
The collaborative project between Toyota Motor Europe (TME) and Energy Observer, a French company specialising in renewable energy research, aimed to break the previous hydrogen fuel cell vehicle range record. The previous record was also held by the Mirai, set by a team of Japanese automotive journalists.
The project, initiated and planned by Toyota in cooperation with various partners, included event organisers, technical experts, and local authorities. The team was selected based on their eco-driving scores, with a balanced age and gender mix, to convey the message that the Mirai can be driven effectively by anyone.
Marie Gadd from Toyota France was one of the four drivers who took the wheel for the challenge. The project yielded a major outcome: a large company like Toyota can learn from startups, as demonstrated by the collaboration with Energy Observer. Cedric Borremans from TME noted this as a significant learning opportunity.
Energy Observer has developed a ship named the "Energy Observer", a floating laboratory that uses renewable energy such as hydrogen, solar, wind, and sails. Toyota and Energy Observer have been collaborating in the field of renewable energy since recent years, with Toyota providing the onboard powertrain system for the Energy Observer vessel.
The success of the project enabled the lighting up of the Eiffel Tower with electricity supplied by a stationary hydrogen generator in 2021, ahead of its planned schedule for the Olympic & Paralympic Games Paris 2024. President Akio Toyoda expressed anticipation for further developments in the future, hoping to see the challenge taken up in various regions, including the U.S., China, Australia, and others.
Borremans, expressing hopes for future projects, emphasised the importance of continuous improvement (kaizen) and involving more employees in the process, exchanging technical information, and focusing on further advancements in renewable energy technologies. Achieving a carbon-neutral world is a long and challenging journey, but it's not impossible if people around the world work together toward the goal. The collaborative project in France was an example of this important approach.
The project received positive reactions on social media, with comments expressing hope for hydrogen and interest in the Mirai's performance. Borremans also emphasized the importance of members taking on new challenges and feeling that they are contributing to the project. The record-breaking drive by the Toyota Mirai is a significant step towards a zero-emissions society and a testament to the potential of hydrogen as a renewable energy source.
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