Toyota Motor Europe to sponsor Energy Observer, the first hydrogen vessel to circumnavigate the world

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Toyota extends its support to Energy Observer on the next step of their global voyage

Launched in 2017 in Saint­Malo, France, Energy Observer is more than just a boat.

It demonstrates and shares solutions for extracting energy harmlessly from nature. Energy Observer showcases technologies that will support tomorrow's energy networks to make them efficient and applicable on a large scale. It is this model, based on a mix of renewable energy sources and energy storage that the Energy Observer team will promote on their worldwide tour.

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Energy Observer is the first autonomous hydrogen vessel that emits no greenhouse gases or fine particles. This electrically propelled vessel of the future operates by using a mix of renewable energies and a system that produces carbon­free hydrogen from seawater.

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Hydrogen is at the very heart of the Energy Observer project and the major reason for Toyota Motor Europe’s participation. On board the boat, it allows the vessel to gain a considerable weight advantage (50% of the displacement of the ship) when compared to an exclusive battery storage solution.

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Toyota has been pioneering hydrogen technology for the last 20 years and currently has a mass-produced hydrogen-powered model in its range: the Toyota Mirai.

READ MORE: Energy Observer hydrogen-powered catamaran