It is common knowledge that Toyota is gearing up for a greener future. It is also a fact that they prefer hydrogen power over its electric counterpart. Toyota’s CEO made that very clear a couple of months ago. Toyota recently revealed that they’re developing a new hydrogen storage module.
This will be connected to high pressure hydrogen storage tanks. The basic idea is that it will help store hydrogen fuel when needed. So, what exactly is this module? How does it work? Also, are we seeing progress towards another Toyota fuel cell car?
Let’s find out what this new Toyota technology is about.
What Is the Latest New Toyota Hydrogen Car for Sale? And which one is being developed?
When we say Toyota hydrogen vehicle, we don’t mean a concept car being stuck in the development stages for the next 50 years. Toyota is currently developing and is also offering hydrogen-powered vehicles. The two major ones have been discussed below:
Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle
The Mirai is the first ever Toyota hydrogen car for sale. It is a sharp looking sedan that comes with a hydrogen fuel cell. While it doesn’t rely on hydrogen combustion, it still uses the resource for power. Toyota has managed to sell around 10k Mirai cars ever since the launch about 7 years ago.
The result is that the Mirai has a range of more than 400 miles. The car drives well but there are some disadvantages. The price is high and hydrogen fuel stations don’t exist everywhere. The Mirai is a clear-cut example that Toyota isn’t afraid to take risks.
Toyota Corolla Sport H2 Concept
This one’s under development. The most popular and well-received hydrogen car is the aforementioned concept. This is essentially a Toyota Corolla that is built for high performance racing and testing. The structure of the vehicle is based on the Corolla, but that’s about it.
The engine is from the GR Yaris Toyota but it has been modified heavily. The car has a 1.6-litre engine with 3 cylinders. This motor comes with specialised fuel injectors. These injectors spray the hydrogen onto the modified components for high amounts of heat.
Toyota claims that they’re putting thousands of hours of testing on this new car. They’re working on understanding how reliable it is. The Corolla is one of the most important nametags in automotive history. This is why it is the vehicle of choice here.
It isn’t that Toyota just makes reliable cars. The company is also popular for making cars compatible with easy-to-procure itsparts. You can find a genuine Toyota parts supplier here: https://sts-global.com/toyota-parts
New Toyota Technology: Hydrogen Storage Module
Toyota recently revealed that it is to make hydrogen storage modules. These will be available in their hydrogen cars. Each one will be integrated with high pressure hydrogen storage tanks. The tank will be kept at around 70MPa in terms of hydrogen pressure.
Toyota has used this setup in the Mirai mentioned above. The company has fitted it with enough gadgetry to keep it safe from any explosions. Toyota will implement these modules and tanks in everything from automobiles to locomotives and power boats. They’re set to prove that it is safe to use.
Right now, Toyota is basically testing this module to ensure that it works in all types of conditions. This is important as different environments have their own requirements for keeping hydrogen in check. Overall, this can be quite the step for the promotion of hydrogen use and renewable energy.
Why Does Toyota Believe in Hydrogen?
There’s a special relation between Toyota and hydrogen. The world is heading towards electric vehicles. Meanwhile Toyota shocked everyone and said that hydrogen is the future. While the company is bringing a lineup of EVs for itself and its Lexus brand; they’ll use it as a stepping stone to hydrogen energy.
But what is the reason for this? Well, there are many uses of Hydrogen. For starters, it will undergo combustion. This means that not many new parts will have to be developed. Also, it will produce more power than EVs. It should also be noted that the refuelling time will be lesser than the EV charging time.
Hydrogen cars are also preferred by the more enthusiastic consumers. These are people who perceive the electric vehicle to be boring. They think that hydrogen cars tend to have more of a soul. This is as they produce sound and are aggressive when needed to be.