New “Toyota Mirai “has officially set the Guinness World Record for the longest distance to date for fuel cell electric vehicles without refueling.
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“In 2016, the Toyota Mirai became the first commercially available production fuel cell car in North America, and now the next-generation Mirai has set a distance record,” said Bob Carter, vice president, North America, Toyota Motor.
The official record attempt was overseen by Guinness World Records, following strict rules and documentation procedures. In the maximum efficiency drive, which took place on 23 and 24 August 2021, the Mirai LXE’s only emissions were water. Guinness World Record Judge Michael Emprick checked the seal on the Mirai fuel tank at both the beginning and end of the trip.
The two-day ride, featuring eco-racing marathon professional Wayne Gerdess and second rider Bob Winger, began on Monday, August 23, 2021, at Toyota’s Technical Center (TTC) in Garden, California, home to Toyota’s fuel cell system development team. The two riders headed south to Sanisidro, then north to Santa Barbara, driving through Santa Monica and Malibu along the Pacific Highway. The crew returned to the TTC the same evening and recorded 761 kilometers with just two shifts.
The next day, August 24, 2021, the journey was mostly on local routes, with drivers driving another 599 miles in the morning and afternoon traffic jams on the San Diego Highway between Los Angeles and Orange County, to Mirai, running out of hydrogen supplies, TTC, both days total mileage reaching 1,360 kilometers, recorded in person by Guinness World Record Judge Empriks.
At the end of the trip, Mirai had consumed 5.65 kg of hydrogen and passed 12 hydrogen filling stations without refueling. Most of the trip was spent during rush hour, with air temperatures ranging from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius. During the journey, the Mirai emitted zero grams of CO2, while a car with an internal combustion engine would have emitted around 301 kilograms of CO2 over the same distance.
The historic result was achieved by skillfully applying economical racing marathon techniques to the riders, which improved the Mirai’s performance in a variety of weather and driving situations. They also used some simple economical driving techniques that any driver can use on a daily basis:
Maintenance and preparation:
- Observe the specified maintenance intervals. An engine that does not run optimally will consume more fuel and have a negative effect on fuel economy
- Observe the wheel alignment and inclination specified by the manufacturer
- Check the tire pressure regularly; Insufficient tire pressure will worsen fuel economy
- Remove excess luggage and remove the roof rack to reduce weight and air resistance
Driving equipment:
- Avoid rapid acceleration and heavy braking
- Avoid driving too fast
- Minimize the use of mechanical and electrical appliances such as air conditioning.
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