From Calgary to Victoria part 3: in a Toyota Mirai 2024

To celebrate its 60th anniversary in Canada, Toyota organized a Canadian tour. Journalists from across the country were invited to take part in one of the six stages between St. John’s, Newfoundland and Victoria, British Columbia. We completed the sixth leg of the journey from Calgary to Victoria. It all took place over three days. Here’s a summary of the third day in the form of a logbook.

After a brief stay in Vancouver, a busy schedule awaited us on the third and final day of the final leg of the trip. As soon as daylight broke on August 29, we boarded our cars. For us, it was time to get behind the wheel of the Toyota Mirai. A large hydrogen-powered sedan, the Mirai is of little interest to buyers, since filling stations in most areas are extremely rare. Alas, the network is clearly insufficient to make it attractive. In British Columbia, the network is more complete, but still marginal. Despite its large size, the trunk is relatively small. This can also be an irritant for customers.

In the Toyota Mirai, we headed for the manufacturer’s regional office on the country’s Pacific coast. On arrival, we were greeted by the local MR2 owners’ club, much to the delight of the more nostalgic among us. We also got a close-up look at some Celica and Supra models. The visit also gave us the opportunity to talk to the directors of Modo, a cooperative car-sharing company, and learn more about it. Founded in 1997, this company emphasizes its community-based approach. The managers told us that around 35% of the fleet of vehicles available to the 30,000 members of the cooperative bear the Toyota badge. At present, around 12% of vehicles are electrified.

After this visit, it was time to leave the Vancouver area and head for Vancouver Island. With the Toyota Mirai, we boarded a ferry that took us from Delta to Nanaimo, where we were met by the local Toyota dealer. For the occasion, a few vintageToyota vehicles were placed in the local showroom.

After this brief stop, we headed for the final leg of our journey. We made our way to Victoria’s Mile 0 monument, symbolizing the beginning – or end – of the Trans-Canada Highway. This marked the end of this Canadian journey orchestrated by Toyota Canada to celebrate its 60th anniversary in the country. The next morning, we boarded a plane to leave Victoria and return to Montreal.

Click here to read or reread the report on the first day of the trip.

Click here to read or reread the report on the second day of the trip.