Europcar is taking delivery of several Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell cars for its fleet after securing a €200,000 OLEV grant.

A €200k OLEV grant has enabled Europcar to deploy Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell cars

The vehicles will be used to support Europcar’s recently acquired ride-hailing business Brunel as well being available for corporate customer use, and will give the firm “the largest privately owned fleet of hydrogen cars”.

“We have a clear objective to create a zero emissions fleet and with support from the OLEV grant we are even closer to this important milestone,” explained Gary Smith, managing director, Europcar UK Group. “This funding is part of a £35 million package that marks the UK government’s commitment to boosting the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles and we are delighted to be the only private sector winner.”

He added: “This is a major step forward for Europcar UK, putting us ahead of the competition when it comes to the size of our hydrogen fleet and moves us ever closer towards a zero emissions fleet that delivers the same level of convenience and performance that our customers expect, while improving air quality on UK roads.”

Jon Hunt, manager, Toyota & Lexus Fleet Marketing, added: “Europcar UK’s success in winning the OLEV grant highlights its leadership and focus on embracing the latest fuel technologies to drive down emissions and promote greener transport solutions.

“The Mirai uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which has no combustion engine and features fuel cell technology combined with hybrid technology. Using hydrogen to generate electricity, the Mirai emits no CO2 or pollutants, achieving superior environmental performance without compromising on driving pleasure or convenience.”

Europcar UK has also signed a fuel supply agreement with energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power, enabling it to access hydrogen via ITM Power’s refuelling network at £10/kg.