Skip advert
Advertisement

Next generation Toyota Mirai revealed as hydrogen flagship

While the EV revolution continues, so too does Toyota’s hydrogen fuel-cell development

Toyota has revealed a near-production concept version of its second-generation Mirai, the marque’s hydrogen fuel-cell saloon. While battery electric vehicles are quickly gaining momentum as the environmentally friendly option for private car buyers, hydrogen fuel-cell technology has been in constant development alongside it, with manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda and Hyundai all now having production fuel-cell models on the road. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Tellingly, the new Mirai is built on Toyota’s modular TNGA platform, one shared with everything from the Prius to the Camry, helpfully reducing per-unit production costs of a model that has always been a loss-leader due to its expensive hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain.

Unlike a traditional internal-combustion powertrain, the hydrogen fuel-cell works by generating electricity by a chemical reaction with no associated emissions aside from water vapour. This electricity then powers an electric motor, which in the Mirai’s case sits on the rear axle, providing drive.

Toyota claims to have made great strides with how the Mirai drives, with an increase in range and performance, and improved drivability. Toyota had a target of increasing range by 30 per cent, which it says has been achieved by both improved system efficiency and increased hydrogen storage capacity. 

The inherent advantage of a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain is its non-reliance on the grid, which so often is the defining aspect of the argument about how clean battery electric vehicles actually are from a well-to-wheel perspective.  

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The previous Mirai’s Prius-like body has been replaced with a somewhat more traditional, but also more elegant saloon shape. It’s more understated look is not so much a change in aesthetic for the Mirai, but rather one in philosophy, as Toyota intends for the Mirai to be less of a statement car and instead an established part of its progression into alternative powertrains across the range. 

The new, display-heavy interior is suitably plush considering its status within the Toyota range, but retains a very pleasing aesthetic that is distinctively Japanese. The new 12.3-inch touchscreen sits high on the flowing, minimalist dashboard, with a smaller Lexus-style cowled driver display behind the steering wheel, while copper-coloured accents frame and highlight the dash, doors and seats.

Fuel-cell technology may be in its infancy compared to battery technology, but many experts believe that hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, rather than replacing BEVs, will coexist alongside them as part of a wider answer to the issues facing internal combustion engines. Our conundrum is where there is at least a link – albeit a tenuous one – between electric vehicles and driving thrills, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have still yet to form one. The new Toyota Mirai doesn’t look to change that.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Porsche Panamera 2024 review – third-generation super-limo is a tech-fest
2024 Porsche Panamera
Reviews

Porsche Panamera 2024 review – third-generation super-limo is a tech-fest

Active suspension and a monstrously powerful hybrid powertrain for Porsche’s Panamera supersaloon (but no more Sport Turismo version)
13 Mar 2024
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review – an all-time great and future icon
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – front
In-depth reviews

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review – an all-time great and future icon

It was designed to take on the BMW M3, but stole our hearts along the way – the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio remains a masterpiece in its latest for…
12 Mar 2024
1093bhp Porsche Taycan Turbo GT targets the Tesla Model S Plaid
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
News

1093bhp Porsche Taycan Turbo GT targets the Tesla Model S Plaid

The Taycan has received a track-focused makeover from Porsche’s GT division – the result is the most powerful production Porsche ever
11 Mar 2024
2024 Mercedes-AMG E53 revealed – E63 S power for AMG’s entry-level hybrid E-class 
Mercedes-AMG E53
News

2024 Mercedes-AMG E53 revealed – E63 S power for AMG’s entry-level hybrid E-class 

Mercedes-AMG’s new E53 saloon and estate retain the turbocharged straight-six and gain a significant electrified performance performance boost with a …
11 Mar 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The Nissan GT-R has been updated yet again for 2025
Nissan GT-R 2025 – front
News

The Nissan GT-R has been updated yet again for 2025

The R35 Nissan GT-R refuses to die – this latest version gets engine enhancements and subtle cosmetic tweaks
15 Mar 2024
MST Mk1 2024 review – £174,000 Ford Escort recreation driven
MST Mk1 Ford Escort
Reviews

MST Mk1 2024 review – £174,000 Ford Escort recreation driven

The MST Mk1 is a brand new, 50-year-old, road-going rally car. It looks the business, but does it deliver? Strap yourself in…
15 Mar 2024
Aston Martin DBX707 v Ferrari Purosangue – flagship super SUVs go head-to-head
Aston Martin DBX707 v Ferrari Purosangue
Features

Aston Martin DBX707 v Ferrari Purosangue – flagship super SUVs go head-to-head

Everything about them is supersize, from their kerb weights to their power outputs. But they’re also hugely enjoyable – and quite different in charact…
16 Mar 2024