Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has proudly announced the launch of the region’s first hydrogen-powered taxi, the Toyota Mirai. The initiative comes as a result of the RTA’s search for alternative green fuel sources which are in line with its sustainable transport policy. Researching on alternate fuel sources, the government considered hydrogen-powered cars for its taxi fleet last year and started trials of Toyota Mirai.
Passengers can now employ the services of these taxis at the Dubai International Airport. The noise-free Toyota Mirai is labeled as the cleanest car for environment producing only water as a byproduct. The car employs Hydrogen fuel cells to power the engine and can deliver up to 500 kilometers on a full tank. Unlike electrical vehicles which take hours to fully charge, the refilling can be done in a matter of minutes. Employing the Toyota Fuel Cell System, the Mirai is a hybrid vehicle that has a high pressured hydrogen tank and a fuel cell stack.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA states that the introduction of these taxis is the fruition of the high importance placed on environmental protection and reducing power consumption by RTA. With environmental sustainability being a primary goal, Dubai Taxi Corporation is the first of its kind in the Middle East to engage hydrogen-powered taxi services.
RTA plans to try this hydrogen-powered car as part of its limousine service and will analyze its economic as well as environmental advantages. Currently, 20% of the whole taxi fleet is hybrid and the plan is to replace half of the cars with eco-friendly options by 2021.