Milestone. This is the best word to describe the Toyota Mirai. This model is the first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that is available to the public for purchase on a global scale.
Toyota has yet to launch the Mirai in all the markets it operates in, and it will take a few years for the Mirai to reach the majority of countries where the Japanese automaker sells cars. However, the car is already available in a few key markets, and is set to launch many others soon.
While other automakers have offered cars powered by hydrogen before, none of them were available on such a large scale. Its first owner in the world is Mr. Shinzo Abe, Japan’s Prime Minister.
Instead of sheer Concours d’Elegance looks, Toyota’s Mirai is like a spaceship on wheels. The design was evidently formed after function, with the car featuring as many aerodynamic tweaks to improve its behavior, all at the detriment of looks. Anything that was not sacrificed for efficiency was ditched in the name of practicality.
Let’s face it. The Mirai is a futuristic-looking vehicle that has a pronounced practical spirit. Think of it as eco-friendly sandals with cargo pants. It is a revolution in its field, and Toyota gets away with it because of the advanced technology that is implemented in this car.
Anyone could agree that Toyota could have attempted to make the Mirai more attractive. While its futuristic look, based on the wedge design with noticeable lines, might conquer some hearts, it will never have the beauty of a Maserati or a Ferrari. However, it does not need it, not for now, at least.
Remember the first generation Prius? The car was a revolution that got away with quirky looks. Now it is not that weird to see one on the road, is it?
Well, we think you will get used to the Mirai’s aggressive front bumper, which has a huge set of vents, which have a set of daytime running LEDs. The vents feed the Fuel Cell with fresh air, so they are active and necessary for operating the Mirai. The roof has an unusual shape, and the rear end is not as you would want it, but this model is still a revolution in the auto industry.
Evidently, it all depends on what you consider traditional, but this production model shares numerous components with the rest of the Toyota lineup. Evidently, it has a few dedicated elements, like the dash that has an aggressive shape. Except for that and the plug concealed in its trunk, the Mirai looks like a regular Toyota on the inside.
The gauge cluster is placed in the middle of the dash, and it is entirely digital The buttons, switches, and materials are shared with Toyota models of comparable size. This is a measure to reduce costs, as they do not have to design each part for the interior, but also because of usability.
The latter involves making the user feel at home in the car and providing a familiar experience. The idea is to have just about any adult able to drive the Mirai, even though it is an incredibly advanced vehicle. Without an easy-to-use interface, these cars will never become popular.
The Japanese model only offers seats for four people, as a console splits the rear bench. Its trunk provides a volume of 361 liters, which is a little bigger than the one on the ongoing Volkswagen Golf, to provide you with a sense of perspective.
Evidently, there is less room than in a comparable sedan when trunks are compared, but this is not a conventional car, so it is all right to embrace its little quirks. This kind of compromise is acceptable even at this level, since the car brings something that could be the future of the automobile.
On the inside, Toyota has fitted the Mirai with the usual range of driver assistance systems, as well as the entire suite of technologies that make day to day life comfortable. Therefore, it comes with cruise control, speed limiter, electrically operated windows and side mirrors, and other features like these.
The multimedia unit comes with Bluetooth to connect a phone, and it has a navigation system. There is also a reverse camera, parking sensors, and digital climate control. Customers are offered heated and vented seats, and the heated units can be fitted in the backseat as well.
The steering wheel is heated, and its tilt function is operated electrically. Evidently, it has a suite of controls to help the driver navigate through the car’s menus and features.
The climate and audio controls are touch operated. While not a gadget per se, Toyota fitted the Mirai with noise-reducing glass for the windshield and front windows, so there’s less wind noise inside.
Instead of a touch screen, a capacitive surface is used, just like the first generation Chevrolet Volt/Opel Ampera used to have. The multimedia unit comes with the Entune App Suite (market-dependent), and a JBL audio system is available as an option.
Toyota stores the Mirai’s hydrogen supply in two high-pressure tanks, which operate at a pressure of 70 Mpa, or 700 bars. The value is high, and BMW uses a similar specification for its hydrogen prototypes, but it allows storing more hydrogen than “regular” tanks, which operate at half the pressure mentioned above.
We must note that Toyota has designed the Mirai’s tank to quickly disperse the hydrogen if it ever leaks from the reservoir, and to prevent any potential buildup of the gas.
Since it is lighter than air, it will disperse into the atmosphere without any safety risks. However, a leak is highly unlikely. Refuel takes approximately five minutes, and no emissions are generated from its use.
The hydrogen is then sent through the fuel-cell stack, which is a solid polymer electrolyte that produces 153 HP. The value is presented for informative purposes, as the vehicle’s main engine is a synchronous AC unit that develops 152 HP, and a torque of 247 lb-ft (335 Nm).
In the USA, Toyota offers three years of complimentary fuel for the Mirai, as well as 24/7 of service for the customer call support department. The warranty on this model is valid for 100,000 miles or eight years for the key components of the fuel cell system. Mirai owners also get the automaker’s no-cost service plan and roadside assistance service as standard.
The fuel economy of this model is rated at 67 mPGe for city driving, and 67 mPGe for highway driving, according to the EPA. The same organization rates the range of 312 miles (502 kilometers) per tank. We find it sufficient for day-to-day commuting without having to plug in the car anywhere.
The Toyota Mirai has a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) acceleration time of 9.6 seconds, while top speed is rated at 111 mph (178 km/h). The values are more than reasonable for a vehicle of this kind.
Therefore, the automaker has designed the car to protect its occupants at least as well as a conventional model, and has taken an extraordinary level of attention to the safety of the hydrogen system.
It cuts out the flow of the gas if a high-speed collision is detected, and it is designed never to leak. Even if it would leak, the occupants are not at risk, as no hydrogen will enter the passenger compartment.
Toyota has performed millions of miles of tests with the prototypes of the Mirai, as well as rigorous in-house crash tests. Over 10,000 miles were driven in an extreme climate, just to make sure there is nothing has been overlooked.
Passive safety equipment includes eight SRS airbags (front, side, curtain, driver knee, and passenger seat cushion airbag), as well as a unique frame design meant to distribute the forces that are generated in a crash in an efficient manner.
Evidently, Toyota has fitted the car with its Active Safety System, which includes a range of systems to aid the driver in keeping things under control.
The car also has a pre-collision system, that alerts the operator that a frontal impact is imminent. The said system enhances braking power, and a failsafe is present if the driver does not react, which will mitigate the impact by applying the brakes. There is also a lane departure system fitted, to ensure that all that quietness would not make you doze off at the wheel.
Just like Tesla started a modern revolution with its electric cars, Toyota did the same with hybrids, and is about to repeat the experience with Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles.
Even if Toyota does not sell hundreds of thousands of units of the Mirai in its lifetime, this car is already a success, because it is the first of its kind and paves the way for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles of the future.
Toyota already has competitors in this field, so we can only hope that the technology advances at a sufficient rate that will enable these cars to be affordable to the average Joe. If this happens, the automobile will see a revolution that has the potential of changing the world. We just hope will be there to witness it occur.
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