2016 Toyota Mirai electric / fuel cell car on sale

[djc]

2016 Toyota Mirai fuel cell car on sale in California (only). 

$57500, though Toyota expects 90% to be leased at $500/mo including fuel.

Similar in size to Camry, but weighs close to 4100 lbs.

Electric, battery in back, with hydrogen fuel cell under front seats generating power.  

Has one option: option can power your house during emergency.

Reportedly 0-60 is 9 seconds,  67 MPGe.  312 mile EPA range.  tank fill takes a couple minutes.

 

From memory, Toyota is expecting sales volume similar to current C-max.

California sales areas are mild climate; I haven't seen reports on how fuel cells perform in coldness.

 

Interesting technology but not clear to me how hydrogen can compete with current cheap oil.

 

 

[laxfan91]

There shouldn't be an issue with climate since fuel cells are used in spacecraft. I don't see how hydrogen can compete either, but this tech works where you can't use combustion and need to fill up quickly. It'll work on Mars...so we got that going for us. This will have a tough time competing with the Li-air batteries that are in development with now working prototypes as of Oct 2015.

 

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-design-points-a-path-to-the-ultimate-battery

[stevedebi]

There shouldn't be an issue with climate since fuel cells are used in spacecraft. I don't see how hydrogen can compete either, but this tech works where you can't use combustion and need to fill up quickly. It'll work on Mars...so we got that going for us. This will have a tough time competing with the Li-air batteries that are in development with now working prototypes as of Oct 2015.

 

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-design-points-a-path-to-the-ultimate-battery

For climate, I think he was referring to any use of LiIon batteries in the FCV. I've not read much about the tech, but they probably do use batteries to smooth out the delivery. But I doubt that temperature makes much difference.