Toyota pins its hydrogen hopes on bigger, more conventional, cheaper Mirai
Toyota is pushing ahead with its second generation hydrogen Mirai in spite of virtually no demand for its first edition wonder car of the future. The Mirai needs no electricity, no fossil fuel to run. Its fuel cell works off the reaction as its hydrogen fuel interacts with oxygen to charge its batteries to create motive power. A true zero emissions wonder, a fuel cell’s only by product is water.
But the first Mirai simply refused to catch on. For example, only nine units of the old one were ever sold new to customers in Germany. Maybe it was that car’s high price? Or was it the weird design? Or a dearth of hydrogen filling stations on the continent?
ALL NEW TOYOTA MIRAI IS BIGGER, BETTER, COOLER
Now a completely new Mirai will make its debut in Europe in November. And Toyota’s hoping that this one’s grander, far more conventional yet chic styling will make all the difference. Add a new Lexus-like cabin, a R300K discount on its R1.3-million asking price versius the previous car and a 200km longer 700km range, too.
New Mirai gets a flowing new design, a broad grille and smart 20-inch wheels. It’s on a far grander scale too, with a 4.98 meter long, 1.89 meter wide and 1.47 meter tall stature. Riding a on a 2.92 meter wheelbase, it’s a five-seater this time around, versus the outgoing car’s four seats. The classy cabin gets a driver-oriented 12.3-inch display and fully digital instruments and all the gadgets you could dream of.
The rear-wheel drive fuel cell sedan sits on Toyota’s rigid scalable TNGA platform for improved comfort and driving pleasure. its H kit will ensure an even lower centre of gravity should contributes even further to improved comfort and driving pleasure. Mirai now also has three hydrogen tanks versus the old car’s two for a 30 percent greater 700 kilometre driving range.
BUT WILL IT CATCH ON?
Now all that remains to be seen, is whether all that will help sell the new fuel cell wonder in a marketplace now far more in tune with the advantages of true zero emissions driving…?
