-- Nearly 1,000 fuel cell electric miles -- Five Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL complete emission-free drive from Los Angeles to Northern California while only filling up at public hydrogen stations -- "California Hydrogen Highway" is connecting the dots -- U.S. F-CELL customers have accumulated over 2 million miles since 2010 SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL customers ventured beyond Southern California last week for the very first time, while only filling up at existing public hydrogen stations along the route from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The opening of a new hydrogen station in Coalinga along the I-5 corridor made this opportunity possible. A team driving five B-Class F-CELL refilled at four permanent hydrogen fueling stations located in Burbank, Coalinga, West Sacramento and Emeryville, accumulating nearly 1,000 miles over the course of their three day trip. Three F-CELL customers were accompanied by a team from Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America based in Long Beach. The purpose of this unique road trip was to highlight the growing hydrogen station network and to show that the vision of the California Hydrogen Highway is becoming reality. More at: Crossing California on Hydrogen -- SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Nice they opened coalinga. It will be interesting to see what the stats are of fcv that want to use I5, to go between SF and LA. Green Car Congress: Mercedes-Benz fuel cell vehicles drive from LA to Northern California using only public hydrogen stations
What is the cost to fill up with hydrogen? What is the mileage cost per unit relative to traditional fuels per gallon? Is hydrogen manufactured on site then bulk stored or is trucked bulk like LPG?
Hydrogen is free to the driver right now, for the term of the lease, for all of the hydrogen cars currently available in the US. The mirai will be the first fcv sold in the US, and that will be free hydrogen for 3 years. Current price, eaten by the vehicle manufacturers, state of california, or station is $13.99/kg in california on the few stations with equimpement that is able to charge. FCV drivers get credit cards or codes from the manufacturers. According to car and driver it costs about $0.25/mile on the mirai if you were to purchase the car, and your 3 years of toyota paid fuel were up, in its review it said that was about 4x more than the camry hybrid that accelates quicker and has more passenger and cargo room. The majority of current california hydrogen pumps, have hydrogen trucked in. Some do produce it on-site. According to recent press releases there are only 10 public hydrogen stations, with current tech pumps in california. 47 more are funded and planned right now, with some almost done with construction or retrofit, and others still awaiting aprovals of their plans by funding agencies. CARB estimates that there will be 86 public hydrogen stations in california at the end of 2021. Toyota Mirai Reviews - Toyota Mirai Price, Photos, and Specs - Car and Driver
So a trip that normally is no more than 400 miles and takes a day instead took 1000 miles and three days? Where do I sign?
I think this is like the first leaf owners, taking long trips when some L3 chargers were put in. They wanted to test and demonstrate the network worked. Here I think this was before the hydrogen station got open to the public, some proud fcv owners did there first trip from southern to northern California without needing a hydrogen truck to fill them up. Exciting for people that want 10,000 psi hydrogen, big yawn for most of us. The extra time and distance have to do with events, if this wasn't a press stunt, I'm sure the round trip would have been faster. I think its good, as now there is exactly one station that can monitor the interest in doing this trip between the hydrogen islands of LA and San Fransisco.
As someone who walked California South to North in 17 weeks; there is a LOT of California which is not between LA and SF. they did not begin to cross the state. 135 miles south of LA 335 mile north of SF SF to LA is 382 miles so they did less than half. (It is possible I remember them more acutely for having walked them)
