H2 strategy: the toyota mirai hydrogen car and germany’s lack of plan

In Japan, the mirai is a symbol of the future within the framework of a national H2 concept. In this country, the climate change is failing due to unprecedented lack of planning.

countries with hydrogen strategies such as japan or korea are making rapid progress with fuel cell cars. The toyota mirai proves it.

  • Christian domke seidel

This article is part of a series about exciting automotive pioneers who are in danger of being forgotten. For most of the time, their courage was not crowned with success.

The second generation of the toyota mirai will be available here in march 2021. range and performance have increased by the same amount that the price has decreased. Around 18 percent. In the future, the electric motor will have an output of 128 instead of 114 kW, the 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen that can be carried will be sufficient for 650 kilometers, and the package will be available for 63.900 instead of 78.600 euro.

The toyota mirai (test) is still not a bargain and, due to the lack of filling stations in this country, is still not suitable for everyday use. But which vehicle with an internal combustion engine has recently made such a big step towards the customer?? Exactly. None. Never.

In germany, the vehicle will not catch on. it will remain a marginal note. Not because the car is bad, but because the federal republic lags ten years behind technology. Selling the mirai in germany is like giving a smartphone to a devout amish person who foregoes technical progress for religious reasons. Nice. But who should he call and how should he charge it when he has fumbled the battery with candycrush??

Complete lack of ideas and plans

hydrogen is seen by many as a key technology for the future. Especially in view of the CO2 targets that have been set. Some experts place hydrogen more, some less in mobility, because battery electric cars are currently in the lead. For industry, however, the topic is enormously important. Hydrogen can be used there as a storage medium for energy or directly as fuel. Since this became clear, the federal government has hardly missed a chance to show its complete lack of ideas and plans on this subject.

It would take an energy turnaround

The crux of the matter is that the production of hydrogen by electrolysis consumes a lot of electricity. But in germany, coal-fired power plants are a burden on the energy balance sheet. So we need an energy turnaround. Union politicians like to wink at this point. Because in 2012, a reduction in the energy levy torpedoed decentralized solar energy generation, followed by a change in the permits for wind turbines, which also made them a dying technology.

Toyota mirai (4 pictures)

H2 strategy: the toyota mirai hydrogen car and germany's lack of plan

The solution of peter altmaier (CDU), federal Minister of economics and energy, is that from 2030, exactly twenty percent of the hydrogen required will be produced with energy from wind and solar power. A goal that can no longer be achieved. altmaier knows this, too, and announces that there will be "energy partnerships with corresponding producing countries. It’s the same idea that was behind the failed desertec project – the planned solar park in africa. It turned out that african countries have no desire at all to send their sustainably produced electricity to germany. Apparently no one could have foreseen this before.

While germany does nothing .

In its own energy transition, Germany, a high-tech country, is relying on the fact that some other country is much further ahead in this development and produces enough sustainably produced hydrogen for export. Infrastructure for transport included. It is up to each voter to decide whether this is a sign of poverty.

But this is the bridge to japan. There the situation looks different. Prime minister shinzo abe announced: "japan will take the lead in epoch-making innovations such as the realization of the hydrogen society by creating a virtuous circle of environmental protection and growth."

… japan has a national hydrogen strategy

Hydrogen should power cars, heat houses and fuel industry. The energy balance still speaks against hydrogen even in japan. a quarter of the electricity we need comes from renewable energy sources. but the increase of this share is part of the national hydrogen strategy. In 2030, 800.000 cars and 1,200 public buses to be powered by hydrogen, and 5.3 million homes to be powered by electricity. The government is subsidizing the purchase of a new mirai with the equivalent of 14,000 cars and 1,200 public buses.000 euro.

perfect hectic due to new laws in china

Whether germany and its car testers like or dislike the toyota mirai (test) and its drive concept is therefore irrelevant. Not here, not in japan. just like samsung doesn’t care what amish think about their smartphones. the hydrogen development will continue. With or without the german industry. a scenario that is strikingly similar to the beginnings of electromobility. electric cars were also not suitable for everyday use, were too expensive and had a poor energy footprint. A few legal changes in china later, hectic activity broke out.

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Christina Cherry
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