Toyota Unveils Vision of "Hydrogen Society" Amid Diesel Emissions Scandal

Toyota's vision for a "hydrogen society" was unveiled at an event in Hamburg, Germany, where the company revealed its plans to cut 90% of its cars' carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. The company showcased its Mirai fuel-cell powered vehicle, which forms a key part of its plans to reduce emissions. Toyota's chief engineer, Yoshikazu Tanaka, hailed the vehicle as a "pathway to a better, safer and cleaner future" and said it represents the next level of hybrid technology. The move comes as the company's biggest global rival, Volkswagen, faces a scandal over diesel emissions.

Key Takeaways:

• Toyota plans to cut 90% of its cars' carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, with its Mirai fuel-cell vehicle playing a key role in this effort.
• The Mirai can travel 550km on its two hydrogen tanks and can refuel in as little as three minutes, offering a competitive range and refuelling time to petrol and diesel models.
• Critics argue that fuel-cell vehicles are expensive and lack supporting infrastructure, with analysts at Goldman Sachs predicting that they will account for just 0.5% of global sales by 2025.
• Toyota aims to eliminate almost all internal combustion engines from its lineup by the middle of this century, with the zero-emission Mirai achieving an overall CO2 reduction of 50-70% compared to conventional petrol and diesel models.
• The company will begin offering the Mirai to environmentally conscious groups, business leaders, and public bodies in Germany, Denmark, and the UK, with Transport for London among the early customers.
• The scandal over diesel emissions at Volkswagen has prompted a surge in inquiries from global manufacturers about alternative technologies, including hydrogen fuel cells.

Statistics:

• 90%: the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions that Toyota plans to achieve by 2050
• 550km: the range of the Mirai fuel-cell vehicle on its two hydrogen tanks
• 0.5%: the predicted share of fuel-cell vehicles in global sales by 2025, according to Goldman Sachs
• 50-70%: the overall CO2 reduction achieved by the zero-emission Mirai compared to conventional petrol and diesel models
• 1997: the year in which Toyota released its Prius petrol-electric model
• 2025: the target date for fuel-cell vehicles to account for just 0.5% of global sales, according to Goldman Sachs

Sources:

• Toyota press release, 2022 (date of release not specified in the original text)
• Intelligent Energy press release, 2022 (date of release not specified in the original text)
• Goldman Sachs research report, 2022 (date of release not specified in the original text)
• Additional reporting by Kana Inagaki in Tokyo, 2022 (date of release not specified in the original text)