The new Toyota Mirai is not just a zero-emission car. It’s a car that goes beyond zero, with a sleek design, a luxurious interior, and a long driving range. But is it the future of mobility or a niche product for a select few?
What is the Toyota Mirai?
The Toyota Mirai is a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). That means it runs on electricity generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The only byproduct of this process is water, which exits the tailpipe as vapor. The Mirai does not need to be plugged in to recharge, unlike battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Instead, it can be refueled with compressed hydrogen gas at a dedicated station in about five minutes.
The 2024 Toyota Mirai is not a new concept. Toyota launched the first-generation Mirai in 2015 as one of the pioneers of FCEV technology. The Mirai was a science project on wheels with a quirky design and limited availability. Only a few thousand units were sold worldwide, mostly in California and Japan, where hydrogen infrastructure is more developed.
The second-generation Mirai, which debuted in 2020 as a 2021 model, is a different story. Toyota has completely redesigned the Mirai, transforming it from a futuristic oddity into a mainstream sedan. The new Mirai is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor, with a sleek coupe-like silhouette and a spacious cabin. It also has a rear-wheel-drive layout instead of a front-wheel-drive for better handling and performance. The Mirai now looks like a car that anyone would want to drive, not just a hydrogen enthusiast.