Imperial hosts fuel cell car to support hydrogen power research

The Faculty of Engineering this week took delivery of a Toyota Mirai, the world's leading hydrogen fuel cell car.

The car, which has been acquired with support from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2 ME) and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCHJU), will help support research into the potential of hydrogen as a future source of clean and sustainable energy.

We are delighted to host a car that helps mitigate climate change, improves local air quality and helps meet energy and environmental policy goals Professor Nigel Brandon

The Faculty will use the Mirai both on the road, learning about its emissions-free performance on journeys between campuses, and as a research resource in work with the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell SUPERGEN Hub.

This multidisciplinary organisation brings together academics and industry experts to explore how hydrogen and fuel cells can overcome challenges to deliver cost-competitive, low-carbon technologies to help create a more secure UK energy landscape.

Professor Nigel Brandon, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said: "With our leading role in the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell SUPERGEN Hub, a research consortium funded by the UK Research Councils, we are excited to experience the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car in real world driving conditions. We will road test the car on trips between our campuses and demonstrate the technology to staff, students and visitors.

"We're committed to advancing both sustainable road transport and hydrogen technologies and are delighted to host a car that helps mitigate climate change, improves local air quality and helps meet international energy and environmental policy goals."

Jon Hunt, Toyota Manager for Alternative Fuels said: "Imperial College has a long history of global leadership in hydrogen fuel cell research and we are delighted to supply a Toyota Mirai, the world's leading fuel cell car. I believe it will provide students with the important opportunity to go beyond the academic and see how their work can deliver both commercial and environmental benefits."

The Toyota Mirai is powered by electricity generated on-board by a fuel cell stack through the process of combining hydrogen with oxygen. On a full tank of fuel it can cover around 300 miles, with smooth, near-silent running and producing no emissions other than pure water.