Toyota Launches Sexy 2nd-Gen Mirai Concept
Toyota has announced the second generation of its hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle, the Mirai, and boy does it look good. Formerly a sedan that resembled a longer version of the Prius, the new Mirai is more like a coupe — it even has rear-wheel drive as opposed to the current model’s front-wheel-drive configuration.
It’s a significant evolution in terms of design and may entice more customers seeking to go green to consider the car, but it’s not the only thing that has improved on the new Mirai. Toyota says it is targeting improved passenger room and comfort as well as a 30-percent increase in range, which it will be able to achieve thanks to increased hydrogen storage capacity and fuel cell system performance enhancements. It will have more power, too.
“We have pursued making a car that customers feel like driving all the time, a car that has emotional and attractive design appeal, as well as dynamic and responsive driving performance that can bring a smile to the faces of drivers,” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, the car’s chief engineer. “I want customers to say, ‘I chose the Mirai not because it’s an FCEV, but because I really wanted this car, and it just happened to be an FCEV’.”
Related: Toyota brings the Mirai to Canada
The Mirai, which generates its own electricity onboard from oxygen and hydrogen, emits only water from its tailpipe, and can be filled back up in only five minutes at an SAE-conforming hydrogen fueling station, which you can currently find scattered around California, Hawaii, Quebec City and Vancouver, with more stations planned around North America.
For the new generation, the Mirai will be longer, lower, wider, and accommodate 20-inch alloy wheels. It will be more aerodynamic, boast a luxurious and futuristic interior including a 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT touch screen. Even the shade of blue, seen in the exterior shot above and achieved via a multiple-layer painting process, is brand new.
The automaker says the second-gen Mirai will go on sale in late 2020.
Related: Learn more about electrified Toyota vehicles
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