Cars & Autos | Monday 22 July, 2019 2:00 pm |

Underlining its deep commitment to sustainability, Toyota Motor Corporation is playing a key role in realizing the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 through its support to a new hydrogen fueling station pilot project in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. 

 

Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s integrated energy and chemicals company, and Air Products, an international supplier of industrial gases serving energy, environment and emerging markets, recently inaugurated Saudi Arabia’s first hydrogen fueling pilot station at Air Products’ new Technology Center in the Dhahran Techno Valley Science Park. The facility will fuel an initial fleet of six Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV), which will be supplied through Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, Toyota’s distributor in Saudi Arabia. Abdul Latif Jameel Motors will also provide service and maintenance for the vehicles throughout the project’s period, to ensure smooth running of operations and that all objectives are met.

 

The new pilot fueling station is part of the ongoing hydrogen-related research and technology demonstration efforts by Saudi Aramco and Air Products. The data collected from the pilot will provide valuable technical information and insights on the potential role that hydrogen technology could play in the transport sector in Saudi Arabia.

 

One of the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen FCEV, the Toyota Mirai is a four-door, mid-size sedan that uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity onboard the vehicle using a fuel cell. Only water vapor is emitted in the process. The vehicle has a driving range of 500km and can be fueled in approximately three minutes, as opposed to an hour of charging for traditional battery electric vehicles.  

 

The Mirai’s impressive capabilities highlight the huge potential of hydrogen-fueled vehicles to contribute to a clean, secure, and affordable energy future, as envisioned in the goals of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, the company’s set of long-term sustainability targets that aim to reduce CO2 emissions from its vehicles and plants. 

 

The Toyota Mirai is also being trialed as part of a joint research program in the United Arab Emirates, where it plays an important role in the company’s collaboration with Masdar, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Air Liquide, and Toyota distributor Al-Futtaim Motors to explore the potential of hydrogen energy use for the creation of a sustainable, low-carbon society.

 

“We are proud to support the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 and contribute to the creation of a hydrogen-based society through the Toyota Mirai’s role in this exciting project,” commented Yugo Miyamoto, Chief Representative, Middle East and Central Asia Representative ‎Office, Toyota Motor Corporation. “Toyota has a long history of developing environmentally friendly vehicles, and we believe hydrogen is particularly promising as an alternative fuel since it can be produced using a wide variety of naturally occurring energy sources. I’d like to extend my gratitude to our loyal customers for their continuous encouragement, which inspires us to fresh heights of innovation in our drive to contribute to a more sustainable tomorrow.”

 

“It is well known that our world needs a sustainable system to address environmental challenges while also meeting growing energy demand. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are well positioned to be part of the solution,” said Seifi Ghasemi, Air Products’ Chairman, President and CEO. “We are honored to collaborate with Saudi Aramco to establish and develop a sustainable, hydrocarbon-based hydrogen supply system for fuel cell vehicles in Saudi Arabia.”

The initiative reflects a growing interest in hydrogen as a fuel source, the same interest that led to the creation of the Hydrogen Council in 2017. Established at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Hydrogen Council brings together some of the world’s leading industrial, automotive and energy companies, and includes Toyota among its founding members. According to figures published by the council, hydrogen could account for almost a fifth of total energy consumed around the world by 2050 if deployed at scale, reducing annual CO2 emissions by approximately six gigatons and contributing around 20% of the reduction required to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius.