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Production of green hydrogen and pure oxygen onboard the Toyota Mirai using a novel assisted photovoltaic hybrid system

Author

Listed:
  • Habchi, A.
  • Hartiti, B.
  • Labrim, H.
  • Thevenin, P.
  • Ntsoenzok, E.

Abstract

Hydrogen-powered cars are considered one of the most viable alternatives to petrol-powered vehicles, as they emit only water instead of carbon dioxide. This paper presents and analyzes a new hybrid Toyota Mirai car, integrated for the first time with both semi-transparent and opaque photovoltaic panels, together with an electrolyzer. The main motivation for proposing this hybrid system is that the 128 kW fuel cell experiences increased pressure during extended operation. This occurs because the fuel cell is primarily responsible for powering both the car's motion and its components. As a result, the onboard hydrogen storage can deplete rapidly, potentially causing the vehicle to stop once the supply is exhausted. To address this limitation, the proposed hybrid system is designed primarily to support the fuel cell during periods of high power demand. In this configuration, a semi-transparent photovoltaic panel is installed on the surface of the car's front hood, with an opaque panel positioned directly beneath it. An optical concentrator is placed between the two panels to amplify the sunlight transmitted through the semi-transparent panel. The electrical energy generated by the hybrid system is directed either to the electrolyzer for onboard hydrogen production or to the battery, depending on the driver's choice. To investigate the performance of the hybrid car, a set of mathematical equations was implemented in MATLAB using the finite difference method combined with the Gauss-Seidel technique. The effects of car speed, solar irradiation, and optical concentration on the hybrid system are presented and discussed. The main results indicate that the onboard hybrid panels can produce a maximum of 3565.30 W at 40 suns and a car speed of 180 km/h. Under the same conditions, the electrolyzer generates a maximum onboard hydrogen production of approximately 169.5 L/h and pure oxygen production of about 84.75 L/h. Additionnally, the energy cost of the hybrid Toyota Mirai approaches that of the conventional Limited and XLE Mirai models. It is estimated at 67,115.7 USD/W for the hybrid Limited model and 50,190.7 USD/W for the hybrid XLE model.

Suggested Citation

  • Habchi, A. & Hartiti, B. & Labrim, H. & Thevenin, P. & Ntsoenzok, E., 2026. "Production of green hydrogen and pure oxygen onboard the Toyota Mirai using a novel assisted photovoltaic hybrid system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PF).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:256:y:2026:i:pf:s096014812502052x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124388
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rawat, Atul & Garg, Chandra Prakash & Sinha, Priyank, 2024. "Analysis of the key hydrogen fuel vehicles adoption barriers to reduce carbon emissions under net zero target in emerging market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Habchi, A. & Hartiti, B. & Labrim, H. & Thevenin, P. & Ntsoenzok, E., 2025. "Amplification of green hydrogen production using an innovative new hybrid semi-transparent photovoltaic solar panel integrated with tubular thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 384(C).
    3. Qusay Hassan & Itimad D. J. Azzawi & Aws Zuhair Sameen & Hayder M. Salman, 2023. "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Opportunities and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-26, July.
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    5. Yuan, Hong & Ma, Minda & Zhou, Nan & Xie, Hui & Ma, Zhili & Xiang, Xiwang & Ma, Xin, 2024. "Battery electric vehicle charging in China: Energy demand and emissions trends in the 2020s," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
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