Photo: Autoblog
The first recorded crash of an important new car is always worth mentioning, but when it comes to fuel cell vehicles like the Toyota Mirai, we should double the safety-related questions.
Nevertheless, Toyota’s flagship eco car seems to be prepared - the vehicle was recently involved in what was its first accident (at least in the US, but we could be talking global stuff here), being hit not far from the area where its hydrogen tanks lie and passing this real life test with flying colors.
As Autoblog writes, the Mirai in question happened to be handled by Xbox AOL Director Randy Shaffer, who was almost done test driving the fuel cell Toyota when a BMW crashed into him.
"The Mirai felt good to drive and to me was a step up in comfort from my Toyota Prius Plug-in. We were heading down to the beach when it happened. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a black, '90s-era BMW 5 Series smash into my right rear-tire panel. The Toyota driver [assisting from the passenger seat] also saw it out of his eyes and was hoping she would just miss us,” the executive says.
“She had a stop sign but either didn't see me or was trying to shot the gap between me and the other Mirai. End result, at about 15 mph (best guess) she hit my Mirai right in-between the two Hydrogen tanks and directly into the main battery. Completely not my fault and I was only hit at about 15 mph but it was an early 90's BMW 5 series so it still pushed me far,” Shaffer goes on to explain.
We are also given a description of how the Toyota whitstood the crash. While this might have been a less than severe accident, any details if welcome: "Good news is it his exactly were the hydrogen tanks are located and it didn't blow up. It's interesting though since they made the car so secure around the tanks instead of "absorbing" the crash I was pushed (the wheel is now a little bent underneath the car).I have been in accidents before and the Mirai is made to be so tough around the tanks and battery that the car was "moved" intact.Plus, as a father with a 4-year-old whose car seat would have been right where I was hit I know he would have been completely safe in that accident.”
Carmakers test their fuel cell vehicles to limits that are sr sky-high these days, so, as long as extreme conditions are not met, we are safe. Let’s just hope this doesn’t happen too soon or, in an ideal world, at all.
As Autoblog writes, the Mirai in question happened to be handled by Xbox AOL Director Randy Shaffer, who was almost done test driving the fuel cell Toyota when a BMW crashed into him.
"The Mirai felt good to drive and to me was a step up in comfort from my Toyota Prius Plug-in. We were heading down to the beach when it happened. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a black, '90s-era BMW 5 Series smash into my right rear-tire panel. The Toyota driver [assisting from the passenger seat] also saw it out of his eyes and was hoping she would just miss us,” the executive says.
“She had a stop sign but either didn't see me or was trying to shot the gap between me and the other Mirai. End result, at about 15 mph (best guess) she hit my Mirai right in-between the two Hydrogen tanks and directly into the main battery. Completely not my fault and I was only hit at about 15 mph but it was an early 90's BMW 5 series so it still pushed me far,” Shaffer goes on to explain.
We are also given a description of how the Toyota whitstood the crash. While this might have been a less than severe accident, any details if welcome: "Good news is it his exactly were the hydrogen tanks are located and it didn't blow up. It's interesting though since they made the car so secure around the tanks instead of "absorbing" the crash I was pushed (the wheel is now a little bent underneath the car).I have been in accidents before and the Mirai is made to be so tough around the tanks and battery that the car was "moved" intact.Plus, as a father with a 4-year-old whose car seat would have been right where I was hit I know he would have been completely safe in that accident.”
Carmakers test their fuel cell vehicles to limits that are sr sky-high these days, so, as long as extreme conditions are not met, we are safe. Let’s just hope this doesn’t happen too soon or, in an ideal world, at all.
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