Mechanics who are interested in zero-emission vehicle technology (ZEV), and are receiving their training in Montréal are in luck, as the 2018 Toyota Mirai is expected to go on sale in Québec this year! The new 2018 Toyota Mirai astounds, not necessarily because of its speed, handling, or overall style, but because of how it represents another big step towards engineering cars with zero tailpipe emissions. The Mirai runs exclusively on hydrogen for fuel, which creates no harmful emissions.
Better get your gloves on, because you might get the chance to take a first peak under the Mirai’s hood sooner than you think, and get to see how this revolutionary new technology could possibly change ZEVs for years to come.
Grads of Mechanic Schools Will Be Impressed by How the Mirai Works
What exactly is going on inside the Mirai that gets it going? Students in mechanic schools know that the Mirai isn’t burning conventional gas. Instead, it draws oxygen from the air it gathers through its front intake grille, and combines it with hydrogen from its fuel cell stack to produce energy. The combination of hydrogen and oxygen is meant to generate a chemical reaction that creates electricity, which is then sent to the Mirai’s motor, moving the vehicle’s wheels. Since the Mirai is fueled by hydrogen, the only thing that gets left behind is the occasional splash of water on the pavement.
The 2018 Toyota Mirai Shows That Speed Isn’t Everything
The Mirai receives much of its power from a hydrogen fuel cell stack and permanent Magnet AC synchronous electric motor, producing 151 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, that translates into a not-all-that-impressive 179 km/h top speed. With a full tank, though, the Mirai is capable of having a range of more than 500km. And when it it’s time to fuel up with more hydrogen, it only takes about 3-5 minutes to fill—which is about the same amount of time to fill a gas-powered car.
The Mirai is also loaded with plenty of different safety features. For instance, its hydrogen fuel tanks have been lined with a carbon fiber polymer in three layers which prevent it from leaking in the case of an accident. In fact, the carbon fiber polymer lining might actually be able to stand up to collisions five times better than steel. Grads of mechanic training may also be impressed by the added sensors on the tanks, which keep hydrogen from leaking out onto other parts of the Mirai’s internal system by shutting off the output valve in the case of a high speed collision.
The 2018 Mirai Demonstrates that Reliability and Safety Are Key
As a ZEV that is expected to be quite popular in Québec, the Mirai has been designed to be reliable in cold weather conditions, and seems to emphasize safety. To reduce the chances of an accident, Toyota has given the Mirai a state-of-the-art pre-collision system that can alert drivers, both visually and through sound, of an impending accident.
How does the Mirai’s pre-collision system detect and prevent an impending accident? Say that a driver is travelling too close to another car and is unable to react quickly enough to avoid rear ending them, then the pre-collision system can kick in almost instantly to stop the car by initiating automatic braking, or by decreasing speed to create a safer distance between vehicles. Although time will tell just how popular it becomes, the Mirai is a pretty impressive vehicle that could spell real change for future ZEVs!
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