Poop-Powered Car: Toyota Mirai Runs off Hydrogen from Human Waste
It's the same poo-to-hydrogen conversion that's proven quite useful in India, where "they have loads of biogas plants in villages and such that are just part of their energy infrastructure," according to Marc Melaina of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.It's a process that Yoshikazu Tanaka, chief engineer of the Toyota Mirai, would ultimately like to see create a "hydrogen society," but poo isn't known for it's renewable potential, at least in the United States.Bill Elrick, executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, laid bare the dilemma to Quartz, saying "There's only some few hundred Mirais in the state of California right now...that's not enough to turn it into a full business from Toyota's perspective or the energy producers' perspectives."But, the effects of turning poop into energy -- and even viable drinking water -- have been proven repeatedly.
Toyota Cuts Mirai Lease Price to Help Build Awareness
OJAI, CA – Toyota says reducing the monthly lease payment of its Mirai hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicle should help build awareness and boost purchase consideration for the nearly 1-year-old car."I think we felt like we needed to make an adjustment.Our evaluation was it would be a little bit helpful to have a more affordable payment," Bill Fay, group vice president-Toyota Div., says here at a media preview of select '17 Toyota models.
2016 Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell: Back to the Future, Again
Review: 2016 Toyota Mirai Fuel CellOne of only two fuel cell electric cars on the U.S. retail market, the Toyota Mirai — like the plug-in electric Tesla — aims to marry creature comfort and cutting-edge technology.What you'll like: Responsive luxury car for the long-awaited "hydrogen highway." Super-comfortable seats, edgy look, space-age dashboard and years of free fuel.What you won't like: Little access to that free fuel — only a handful of stations, almost all in California.