A crowd of technology writers and influencers were treated to a tech presentation on Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) by Al-Futtaim Toyota, leader in sustainable mobility in the UAE since 2008, to explain all the environmental advantages of the zero-emission technology.
The presentation was followed by test driving the FCEV Toyota Mirai and a field trip to the first Hydrogen station at Al Badia, Dubai Festival City, where guests experienced the 3-minute Hydrogen tank filling.
This came on the heel of a business trip to Japan, where a number of Government officials were invited to learn about the Japanese Government’s initiatives to support the creation of a low-emission hydrogen-based society, in collaboration with Toyota. This followed private local showcases of the technology to over 40 high ranking government officials over the past two years, to demonstrate the vehicle’s performance and the environment-friendly potentials of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in the UAE.
Unlike battery-powered electric vehicles, the four-door mid-size electric sedan with performance that fully competes with traditional internal combustion engines, Toyota Mirai, is not recharged by plugging it into an electricity grid but creates electricity using hydrogen, enabling the car to run up to 500km+, while emitting only water vapour.
Globally, Toyota’s electrified vehicle strategy centers on a significant acceleration in the development and launch plans of various electrified powertrains such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), with the aim of selling more than 5 million electrified vehicles, including more than 1 million zero-emission vehicles (BEVs, FCEVs) by 2030.
For Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, in addition to the Mirai introduced in 2014, Toyota Motor Corporation will expand its FCEV lineup by introducing SUVs, as well as buses and trucks and will also roll out the FCEV technology to other industries, in contribution to a low-emission hydrogen-based society.
Addressing the attending tech experts, Saud Abbasi, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Toyota said: “Al-Futtaim Toyota pioneered sustainable motoring in 2008, through Hybrid Electric Vehicle solutions which have so far saved the environment over 7,000 tons of CO2 through the taxi fleets of Camry Hybrid Electric. As a leader in sustainable mobility in the UAE, we have a responsibility to lead the charge for greener motoring and cleaner air as a consequence. In our next chapter, and in line with the UAE Vision 2021, we believe that Mirai or any other FCEV in the future, once adopted on a large national scale, can actively help the UAE in its march towards a serious climate action thanks to the many practical benefits it presents, such as zero pollutants, zero behavioural change, long mileage and minimal hydrogen filling time of 3 to 5 minutes.”
Al-Futtaim Toyota is working on expanding the network of Hydrogen stations through active cooperation and collaboration with government authorities and partnering companies in the UAE.