LOS ANGELES, Oct. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 Toyota
Mirai has officially set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the
longest distance by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle without
refueling. The Mirai achieved an unprecedented 845 miles driven on
a single, five-minute complete fill of hydrogen during a roundtrip
tour of Southern California as it
set the record. Recently selected by Ward's Automotive as a 10Best
Engine & Propulsion Systems winner, the Toyota Mirai's record
sets a new distance milestone for zero emission vehicles.
"In 2016, the Toyota Mirai was the first production fuel cell
electric vehicle available for retail sale in North America, and now the next generation
Mirai is setting distance records," said Bob Carter, executive vice president, Toyota
Motor North America. "We are proud to be leaders of this exciting
technology, which is just one of a growing lineup of zero emission
vehicles in our portfolio."
The official record attempt was closely monitored by Guinness
World Records, adhering to its strict rules and documentation
procedures. On its efficiency-focused August
23 and 24, 2021 journey, the Mirai logged an impressive 152
MPGe with water as its only emission. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
adjudicator, Michael Empric,
validated the Mirai's tank with a seal at both the beginning and
end of the journey.
Driven by professional hyper miler, Wayne Gerdes and co-piloted by Bob Winger, the two-day trip began on
Monday, August 23, 2021, at the
Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Gardena,
California, home of Toyota's fuel cell development group.
The duo traveled south to San
Ysidro and then north to Santa
Barbara cruising through Santa
Monica and Malibu beach
along the Pacific Coast Highway. They returned to TTC that evening
and logged 473 miles with only two driver swaps that day.
The next day, August 24, 2021,
consisted of more local driving loops, where they pushed through
372 more miles of morning and afternoon rush hour traffic on the
San Diego freeway between
Los Angeles and Orange County until the Mirai had no more
hydrogen left and coasted into TTC with a grand total of 845 miles
driven, as witnessed by Empric.
"As a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator for 10 years, I've had
the opportunity to witness incredible attempts, including several
distance-related feats," said Empric. "The Toyota Mirai's journey
without the need to refuel showcases the power of fuel cell
electric technology. This technology and the design ingenuity by
the team at Toyota led to a history-making moment."
By the end of the trip the Mirai consumed a total of 5.65kg of
hydrogen and passed a total of 12 hydrogen stations along the drive
routes without refueling. The Mirai was driven mainly during rush
hour traffic in temperatures between 65 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
It emitted zero pounds of CO2, where a standard internal combustion
engine vehicle would have emitted about 664 lbs. of CO2 over the
same distance.
The landmark results were achieved by drivers skilled in
hypermiling techniques that optimized the Mirai's vehicle
performance under specific weather and driving conditions. They
also leveraged some basic fuel-efficient driving tips that any
driver can practice:
MAINTENANCE & PREPARATION:
- Keep up on all scheduled maintenance. A poorly tuned engine
will burn more fuel, which can impact fuel economy. (FUN FACT: The
2021 Mirai comes with extended ToyotaCare coverage – a scheduled
maintenance plan for 3 years or 35,000 miles!)
- Ensure proper wheel alignment.
- Check tire pressure, under-inflated tires can lower fuel
economy.
- Remove cargo or cargo racks to reduce weight.
DRIVING TECHNIQUES:
- Avoid quick acceleration or heavy braking.
- Avoid driving at higher speeds.
- Minimize running mechanical and electrical accessories i.e. air
conditioner. (FUN FACT: The 2021 Mirai has Drive Mode Select, which
offers an ECO mode to prioritize efficiency by optimizing air
conditioning operation. Additionally, as on Toyota Hybrids,
Predictive Efficient Drive can learn repeatedly traveled routes to
optimize charging and discharging of the battery to help maximize
fuel economy and driving range.)
About Toyota Mirai
The 2021 Toyota Mirai is Toyota's flagship premium
rear-wheel drive sports-luxury FCEV sedan with striking design,
cutting-edge technology, more engaging driving performance and a
significantly longer EPA-estimated range rating. The RWD layout
allowed for increased hydrogen storage to boost EPA-estimated range
to 402 miles (Mirai XLE grade), a 30 percent increase over the
first-generation Mirai.
The model name, which means future in Japanese, is wholly
appropriate, as the 2021 Mirai is powered by the latest evolution
of the brand's advanced fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)
powertrain. The new Mirai is one part of an electrification
strategy that also includes Toyota's current and future hybrids and
upcoming battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
The Toyota Mirai is currently on sale in California.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing
sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly
employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed
world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30
million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including
our joint venture in Alabama that
begins production in 2021.
To help inspire the next generation for a career in
STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual
education hub at www.tourtoyota.com with an
immersive experience and chance to visit many of our U.S.
manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free
STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips
and more. For more information about Toyota, visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Contact:
Christine Henley
Toyota Motor North America
christine.henley@toyota.com
949-727-2722
Paul Hogard
Toyota Motor North America
paul.hogard@toyota.com
469-292-6791
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toyota-mirai-sets-guinness-world-records-title-with-845-mile-zero-emission-journey-301395930.html
SOURCE Toyota