The 2016 Toyota Mirai fuel-cell vehicle has an EPA-estimated range of 312 miles, making it the only zero-emissions vehicle with a 300-plus-mile range. The longest-range battery-electric car currently on sale is the Tesla Model S 85D, which can travel 270 miles on a single charge. Hyundai claims its Tuscon fuel-cell crossover has a 265-mile range.
The four-door midsize sedan, which is due in California showrooms later this year, is also the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle. The EPA estimates the MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) at 67 for city, highway and combined.
The core of the Mirai’s powertrain is a fuel cell stack that takes outside air and combines it with hydrogen stored in on-board tanks to make electricity. The electricity then powers the electric motor that is the sole powerplant in the car – it has no internal combustion engine like in a typical hybrid. The Mirai also has a battery that is used for regenerative braking and to give extra power during acceleration.
Both the engine and the battery pack are the same ones used in current corporate models – the engine from a Lexus, the battery pack from a Toyota.
When the hydrogen and oxygen combine to make electricity, the only by-product is water, which is released from the tailpipe.
This fall the Mirai goes on sale in select Northern and Southern California regions carrying an MSRP of $57,500, and will be be available to lease for $499 per month (with a $3,649 down payment). The early adopters who take home a Mirai are eligible for a $5,000 California tax rebate and coveted access to the HOV lane. Toyota has not announced when or if the Mirai will be available in other areas of the country.
Mirai buyers also get a slew of perks, like three years of free hydrogen fuel, three years of Toyota’s Safety Connect and Entune services with a hydrogen fuel finder app, an enhanced roadside assistance plan and an eight-year, 100,000 mile warranty on all the critical fuel-cell components.
Beginning this summer, California customers can request a Mirai by visiting www.toyota.com/mirai. Customers are encouraged to visit www.toyota.com/mirai today to sign up for more information and notification of exact Mirai order request launch timing in the coming months.
Check out this TFLcar video of the 2015 Toyota Highlander hybrid:
