Met Police takes on 11 hydrogen Toyota Mirais

The first of 11 hydrogen-fuelled Toyota Mirais have been delivered to the Metropolitan Police Service.

Equipped to work as both marked and unmarked vehicles for overt and covert response, the vehicles will emit only water from the tailpipe – a byproduct of the fuel cell process.

The Mirai will have access to five hydrogen filling stations across the capital – a number that’s set to increase in the months and years ahead. On a tank of fuel, each car will be able to cover approximately 300 miles.

Met Commander Neil Jerome said: “We are delighted to have taken delivery of 11 of these cars to support policing in London. They are our first entirely zero emission response vehicles and this is an exciting development for us.

“The Met is committed, alongside the Mayor, to making the service as environmentally friendly as possible and a big part of that work is ensuring our fleet is green. Since late 2015 we have been actively looking at ways to hybridise and electrify our fleet as well as exploring other new technologies such as hydrogen.

“This is enabling us to make great strides towards our ambition of procuring 550 vehicles as zero or ultra-low emission by 2020.”

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy said: “It is fantastic to see the Met’s first ever zero-emission vehicles take to the streets of London. Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles have an important role to play in helping lower harmful emissions and improve air quality on our roads and the Mayor’s Hydrogen London partnership is working to develop the use of this technology in the capital.

The Mayor is determined to take the bold action needed to protect Londoners from our toxic air and this move highlights how the capital’s emergency services are leading by example and supporting his work towards becoming a zero-carbon city by 2050.”