Hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai sets Guinness World Record

The two-day trip began on 23 August at the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in California. Photos: Toyota

The new Toyota Mirai has officially set an official Guinness World Records title for the longest distance covered by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle without refuelling.

It covered an unprecedented 845 miles (1359km) on a single, five-minute complete fill of hydrogen on a round trip in Southern California, establishing a new distance benchmark for zero-emission vehicles.

The official Mirai World Record attempt was monitored by Guinness World Records and adhered to its strict rules and documentation procedures. The Mirai logged an impressive152mpge (miles-per-US gallon equivalent), with water its only emission. Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric validated the car’s tank with a seal at the start and end of the journey.

The Mirai was driven by professional hyper-miler Wayne Gerdes and co-piloted by Bob Winger, using specialist driving techniques that maximised the car’s fuel efficiency potential.

The Mirai logged an impressive 152mpge (miles-per-US gallon equivalent), with water its only emission.

The two-day trip began on 23 August at the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Gardena, California. The duo travelled south to San Ysidro and then north to Santa Barbara, cruising through Santa Monica and Malibu beach along the Pacific Coast Highway.

They returned to TTC that evening and logged 473 miles (761km) with only two driver swaps during the day.

The next day consisted of local driving loops, where they pushed through 372 miles (598km) of morning and afternoon rush hour traffic on the San Diego freeway until the fuel was used up. They coasted back into TTC with a total of 845 miles driven, as witnessed by Empric.

By the end of the trip, the Mirai consumed a total of 5.65kg of hydrogen and passed 12 hydrogen stations along the drive routes without refuelling.