Middle East’s first hydrogen fuel station opens in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has opened its first refueling station for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) on Wednesday. 

The station, the first in the region, was set up by Toyota distributor Al-Futtaim Motors in partnership with Air Liquide in Dubai, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The move comes as Al-Futtain looks to expand the roll-out of Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Mirai car. Toyota’s chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada has launched a collaborative study about the possibility of setting up a hydrogen-based society in the UAE, aiming at lowering CO2 emissions.

UAE’s government has also planned to make up to 10 percent of its new fleet orders electric and hybrid vehicles.

FCEVs run on hydrogen rather than petrol using technologies such as an electric propulsion system, also available in hybrid cars, and emitting only water from the tail pipe.

FCEVs do not require external electric charging, can be refilled with hydrogen in less than five minutes and are able to travel up to 500km on a full tank, the news agency added.