Death of the Mirai

[dan_b]

Thought this was interesting.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a transporter load of Black Toyota Mirais drive past me in Isleworth.
This morning, again in Isleworth, I spotted this. Another vehicle transporter, being loaded up with another batch of used black Toyota Mirais.



On further investigation, there's a unit in this industrial estate owned by Green Tomato Cars - they're a local minicab firm who do airport pickups - and who have always promoted themselves as a "green" taxi service. Mirais being part of their fleet

I'm assuming these Mirais have all come to the end of their lease and are being gotten rid of. Probably a fair proportion of all the MIrais in the UK I would imagine?!

[Oldgreybeard]

Interesting. There's a black Mirai not far from me, belongs to James May, but I don't think he uses it much any more. Used to see it around (usually at his pub) a while ago, but maybe having to drive the thing all the way up to Swindon to fill it up got to be too much of a nuisance. There doesn't seem to be much progress with hydrogen filling stations. Just checked and there are still only 15 for the whole of the UK. The plan was for there to be at least 65 by 2020, with about 1,000 filling stations needed to cover the whole of the UK.

Hydrogen filling stations.jpg (52.76 KiB) Viewed 2267 times

[dan_b]

Of those 15 sites, only 7 are actually working and accessible to the general public.


There are a whopping 46 H2 stations in the whole of the US. 43 of those are in the State of California.

[Mr Gus]

At least you can granny plug an ev, which unless you live on a hydrogen filling station doorstep is probably still faster & less hassle than hydrogen full ups.

Dan, I was something about Toyota + hybrid hydrogen bus tests on a 300 acre uk "eco site" ..which is apparently only running for a week or so, hardly seems worth all that effort for such little data return, p.r. -omises no doubt & a headache for the vehicle support team.

You might want to have a nosey around for details.

[Oldgreybeard]

Of those 15 sites, only 7 are actually working and accessible to the general public.


There are a whopping 46 H2 stations in the whole of the US. 43 of those are in the State of California.

That's pretty shocking, looks like hydrogen as a fuel is very definitely not a likely contender. Pity, as from all I've read the Mirai was a great car to drive.

[Stinsy]

The Hydrogen myth has always been a cover for FF companies to keep polluting. It has never been a viable solution.

[dan_b]

I was in Teddington on Saturday so popped by the H2 station at the NPL. It was locked.

[Mr Gus]

How were hydrogen deliveries affected during covid? ...it wasn't good before, so...

Does the locked gate mean awaiting delivery, or given up & closed for the foreseeable @dan_b

[dan_b]

No idea I'm afraid - but it's not a good look is it for the fuel of the future to be behind bars?!

Does the locked gate mean awaiting delivery, or given up & closed for the foreseeable @dan_b

[Mr Gus]

Cheers dan, nope, it looks abysmal & backs up hydrogen as a long-standing "Aldridge prior" where clean (cough) energy is brought up.

Excuse my lack of knowledge folks but hydrogen creation... Can the industry use seawater or is that not suitable, or if it's ok, but desalination affects cost & profit expectations then what sources are they likely going to do a "nestle" on?

Just musing whilst getting ready to go out (waiting for the wife) ..hydrogen fuel being too far away to really look at in any depth to date (my view) that & tied into the same bastards who sell us oil & contribute so heavily to pollution decade after decade with no problem & lots of "get outta jail" cards