Toyota is pushing ahead with hydrogen-powered cars

Globel Energy Challange
By Sherisse Pham, CNN Business
Curtesy to CNN Business

Updated 1208 GMT (2008 HKT) October 11, 2019

Hong Kong (CNN Business)Many of the world's top carmakers may be racing to make plug-in electric vehicles in response to the climate crisis, but Toyota is hedging its bets by backing an alternative source of power for its cars.
The Japanese company revealed a new version of its hydrogen-powered vehicle on Friday, doubling down on its bet that fuel cells will help secure Toyota's future as the industry comes under enormous pressure to slash carbon emissions.
Toyota (TM) is driving forward with the Mirai, its hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric car, offering a redesigned version that the company said boasts "significantly greater range, improved driving performance, and an elegant, sporty design that offers increased passenger room and comfort."
    The new hydrogen-powered sedan is built on the same platform as 
    Toyota's luxury Lexus brand's LS sedan and LC coupe.



    Compressed hydrogen gas is combined in a fuel cell with oxygen from 
    the atmosphere to produce electricity that is then stored in a battery.
    The only byproduct of that process is water, meaning hydrogen
    vehicles don't expel harmful emissions.
    Toyota has forged ahead with hydrogen power even as it remains bullish
    on electric cars. In June, Toyota moved forward by five years its goal 
    of having electrified vehicles account for roughly half of sales. But it still lags
    behind companies like market leader Tesla (TSLA) and global rival 
    Volkswagen (VLKAF) in the battle to dominate electric vehicle production. 
    Toyota sold only 1,000 electric cars last year, according to LMC Automotive,
    compared to the 220,000 that Tesla shipped.The latest Mirai has a revamped 
    fuel cell stack that can store more hydrogen. That means the car can drive 30%
    farther than the previous generation, which had a range of 312 miles (502 km)
     on a full battery. Toyota did not say how long the new Mirai will take to charge,
     but the previous model took 3-5 minutes.

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