Toyota to help encourage Australians to drive hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Australians will have the opportunity to drive fuel cell vehicles first hand.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not a common site on Australian roads, as is the case with most nations. The main reason for this is due to the fact that there is very little infrastructure available to support the use of these vehicles. That being said, Toyota will be loaning its Mirai vehicles to give some Australian’s a better understanding of what it’s actually like to drive a hydrogen car.

Toyota will be loaning two examples of its Mirai sedan to be trailed locally.

The hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on short-term loans from the Japanese automaker, will be shared between energy delivery provider AusNet Service and sister company Mondo and peak body, Hydrogen Mobility Australia.

The short-term loans of the Mirais (approximately one to three month-long loans) will provide members of these organizations with the opportunity to sample what its like to drive fuel cell vehicles in the real world.

“There is a common misconception that hydrogen-electric vehicles, like the Mirai FCEV, drive differently,” Matt MacLeod, Toyota Australia’s manager of advance technology vehicles said, reports Drive.

MacLeod explained that due to these misconceptions it is important to provide people with a first-hand experience of the car to better understand it.

The hydrogen fuel cell vehicles loan program is considered to be an important step in encouraging hydrogen fuel adoption.

MacLeod knows that the fact that there is very little hydrogen infrastructure in Australia is an “obviously large hurdle” that needs to be overcome in order for car makers to logically introduce this eco-friendly technology, particularly ahead of impending carbon emission regulations.

What those who test out the Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) will discover is that hydrogen fuel cars drive very similar to a traditional gas-powered car. The major difference, of course, is that is uses a different fuel source, which emits nothing but water vapor from the tailpipe. Furthermore, the car makes very little noise.

MacLeod feels that the loan program is the beginning of getting people interested in the technology.

“That’s where the Mirai FCEV loan program is a step in the right direction because these zero-emission vehicles are being used by real people in real world situations,” he said.

In addition to Toyota’s loan program, another brand that is pushing its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is Hyundai, which reportedly plans to supply 20 examples of its NEXO to the A.C.T. Government this year.