It's fair to say the undersigned wasn't too keen on chemistry up until this point, but the way Toyota decided to present the technology behind their Mirai hydrogen fuel cell EV makes chemistry look fun.
You must remember the video released by Toyota where the Mirai's abilities of running on bullshit were showcased, right? Well, after getting their hands dirty, Toyota switched to a more pure approach, using water from Pennsylvania's Oil Creek to create hydrogen fuel for the Mirai.
If you're wondering why water from Oil Creek, you need to have a look in the history books. In 1859, Titusville, Pennsylvania changed the American energy landscape due to an oil well.
"This small Pennsylvania town saw the boom and bust of the oil industry, making it the perfect place to tell the story of hydrogen as a future fuel and the Toyota Mirai,” filmmaker T.J. Martin said. “The residents’ genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for the next step in our country’s transportation story can inspire us all to think differently about energy and technology.”
Long story short, Toyota worked with a group of high school students who collect water for a lesson in electrolysis - the process of turning water into oxygen and hydrogen gas using an electric current.
As you expect, the resulting hydrogen can power the Mirai EV for up to 300 miles on a full tank while all the tailpipes get to see is pure water.
Toyota will bring the Mirai in California first, around October, with only eight dealers in and around Los Angeles and San Francisco being the privileged to sell the EV initially.
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