Toyota has completed a 100,000-km (62,137-mi) road test of its Mirai hydrogen-powered car. The test took place on streets, rural roads, motorways and autobahns in and around Hamburg, Germany, with the Mirai driven 16 hours a day for 107 days.
The road test was carried out for Toyota by auto test firm KJ Tech Services. Toyota specified the distance that the Mirai should cover, as well as the distance on different road types. In response, KJ Tech Services calculated a route in and around Hamburg that would provide the required variation and the route was then driven by eight drivers working in two shifts per day, six days a week.
"The Mirai performed excellently with no mechanical breakdowns," reports KJ Tech Services project manager Patrick Hake. "The fuel cell operated with 100 percent reliability. This was also the case during a week in which the outside temperature dropped to -20 degrees Centigrade (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), when no problems with cold starts were reported."
The car is said to have been refuelled nearly 400 times with over 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of hydrogen. During the road test, its tires were changed twice and the front brake pads were also replaced.
Feedback from the drivers reportedly indicated that the Mirai was comfortable and spacious, handled well on curves and was easy to maneuver. Its steering was also said to have been described as "responsive" and its acceleration "smooth." The drivers noted the Mirai's three-minute refuelling time as a particular advantage over other electric vehicles.
The test began on September 21st last year and was completed on February 10th, with Toyota only recently having made the information public.
Source: Toyota
