Toyota Motor Corporation will send two "Mirai" fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) to China in October 2017 to conduct demonstration tests in the country. Coinciding with the start of these tests, Toyota will also establish a hydrogen station at TMEC, its Chinese research and development base. TMEC is Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd.
Toyota is participating in the Accelerating the Development and Commercialization of Fuel Cell Vehicles in China2 project, and will carry out demonstration tests on the Mirai FCV for three years between 2017 and 2020. Specifically, Toyota will conduct research into vehicle performance within the environment in China, research into the quality of China's hydrogen, as well as a variety of quality and durability evaluations.
Toyota will engage in promotional activities and attempt to gauge how receptive Chinese consumers are to the vehicle, such as by exhibiting the Mirai at domestic events in China, and to also undertake activities which are aimed at improving public understanding of FCVs.
There are presently five hydrogen stations in China which are centered in the metropolitan regions of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The hydrogen station which Toyota plans to construct at TMEC will be the first of its kind in Changshu. Through this project, Toyota will work together with the Chinese government and other business organizations within the industry to explore the potential for the creation of a hydrogen-based society.
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