ELKTON, Md. (March 3, 2016) – W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) has been active in the fuel cell industry since the 1970s and Gore Fuel Cell Components have been used in thousands of applications worldwide. Now Gore is providing a key component for the groundbreaking Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle.

The Toyota Mirai is powered by a fuel cell stack requiring membranes of high performance and durability.

And Gore, the world leader in Proton Exchange Membranes, or PEM technology, is at the heart of this breakthrough. Under the body of the Mirai is a fuel cell stack, which propels the car. The stack contains 370 cells, and each cell contains a GORE-SELECT® Membrane. This ePTFE-based membrane facilitates the chemical reaction between the hydrogen fuel and oxygen, creating as much as 114 kilowatts of electricity.

Gore has developed a portfolio of fuel cell membranes that are known to the industry as having the highest performance and highest durability, two key factors in the life of an automotive power train. “This is just another step in our long commitment to product innovation within the automotive industry,” says Laura Keough, Gore Fuel Cell Technologies Global Business Leader. “Developing a deep technical understanding of fuel cell stacks and systems has allowed us to be the first membrane supplier of this kind globally.”

The car was launched in Japan in December 2014, and was made available for sale or lease in the United States starting in October 2015.

During her recent address at the Fuel Cell Expo, in Tokyo, Japan, Wen Liu, Gore’s leader of global technology development in fuel cells, emphasized that this year marks a major milestone within the fuel cell industry: “Gore has been investing in PEM fuel cell technology for decades and we are honored to have been selected for the Toyota Mirai vehicle.”

Toyota sees the fuel cell vehicle as an opportunity to make a difference by creating less dependence on fossil fuels and promoting a cleaner environment. Together Toyota and Gore are pioneering the use of this new energy source, moving us to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly mobile society.

Lisa T Mullinax
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