Photo: Toyota
At an international conference on fuel cells and all things hydrogen, Toyota chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada confirmed that the Mirai will live beyond 2020. A redesign is coming, the second coming of the automaker’s mass-market hydrogen car.
Nikkei Asian Review claims that the purpose of the conference is “to call for powering 10 million vehicles -- including trains, planes, and automobiles -- with the environmentally-friendly technology in 10 years.” Both Hyundai and Honda believe in hydrogen, but Toyota doesn’t plan to sit still either.
The second generation of the Mirai is set to launch in 2020 according to Uchiyamada, and chances are the fuel-cell technology will improve from the outgoing model thanks to know-how from BMW. The Germans pledged to join the party in 2019, and the i Hydrogen NEXT stands as proof to their commitment. After all, it makes a lot of sense for BMW and everyone else to tap into the most abundant chemical substance in the known universe.
Mirai is Japanese for future, and given that the first example of the breed rolled off the line in 2014, Toyota could surely use a few fresh ideas for the successor. The four-door sedan with Prius-inspired styling is good for up to 312 miles of range according to the Environmental Protection Agency, all while packing a 1.6-kWh battery and a front-mounted electric drive unit.
Sales began in December 2014 at the prohibitive price of ¥6.7 million in Japan, then followed in the United States for the princely sum of $58,500 before options. One of the better parts of driving a Mirai where is... wait for it... the pretty sensible lease.
Toyota wants $2,499 at signing and $389 per month for 36 months with a limit of 12,000 miles per year. In that money, you’re also treated to three years or $15,000 worth of complimentary fuel and three years of no-cost roadside assistance.
The competition is far and few between, starting with the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell at $379 per month and $2,878 due at signing. Hyundai has the newest contender of the lot in the guise of the Nexo, the world’s only fuel-cell SUV. But at $58,300 excluding freight, hydrogen-powered vehicles still aren’t affordable enough for the masses.
You know, for the people who prefer Tesla's Model 3 sedan...
The second generation of the Mirai is set to launch in 2020 according to Uchiyamada, and chances are the fuel-cell technology will improve from the outgoing model thanks to know-how from BMW. The Germans pledged to join the party in 2019, and the i Hydrogen NEXT stands as proof to their commitment. After all, it makes a lot of sense for BMW and everyone else to tap into the most abundant chemical substance in the known universe.
Mirai is Japanese for future, and given that the first example of the breed rolled off the line in 2014, Toyota could surely use a few fresh ideas for the successor. The four-door sedan with Prius-inspired styling is good for up to 312 miles of range according to the Environmental Protection Agency, all while packing a 1.6-kWh battery and a front-mounted electric drive unit.
Sales began in December 2014 at the prohibitive price of ¥6.7 million in Japan, then followed in the United States for the princely sum of $58,500 before options. One of the better parts of driving a Mirai where is... wait for it... the pretty sensible lease.
Toyota wants $2,499 at signing and $389 per month for 36 months with a limit of 12,000 miles per year. In that money, you’re also treated to three years or $15,000 worth of complimentary fuel and three years of no-cost roadside assistance.
The competition is far and few between, starting with the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell at $379 per month and $2,878 due at signing. Hyundai has the newest contender of the lot in the guise of the Nexo, the world’s only fuel-cell SUV. But at $58,300 excluding freight, hydrogen-powered vehicles still aren’t affordable enough for the masses.
You know, for the people who prefer Tesla's Model 3 sedan...
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