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What is the News?
The first hydrogen-powered car named “Toyota Mirai” was registered in Kerala in April 2022. With this, Kerala has become one of the select few states to allow the registration of such cars.
Note: The registered vehicle is exempt from taxation because it will be used for research and development purposes.
What is Toyota Mirai?
Toyota Mirai is India’s first fuel-cell electric vehicle(FCEV).
Working: The car’s powertrain works by breaking down hydrogen into oxygen and water that generates electricity. There is a small battery that stores the electricity and then this electricity is used to power the electric motors. The byproduct is water which is emitted from the vehicle’s tailpipe.
Benefits of Toyota Mirai
Less Refuelling Time: They can be refuelled like a conventional combustion engine vehicle at a hydrogen station.Refuelling time for the car is five minutes and can run 600 kilometres on a full tank.
Smaller Battery: The electric battery in Mirai is 30 times smaller than what conventional electric vehicles use.
Faster Charging: They are a lot faster in charging compared to charging a large battery to its full range.
Source: The post is based on the article “Kerala registers car that runs on hydrogen fuel — 1st in-country” published in Down To Earth on 1st June 2022.
