Second-generation Toyota Mirai

The first Toyota Mirai, launched in 2014, is a stepping stone for Toyota's carbon neutrality goals because of its fuel cell powertrain this car showcased. As Japan is in the Reiwa era and in the midst of the new normal, a new Mirai is born and it's a bold departure from the first one the world got familiar with.

The all-new Mirai, priced at 71 million yen plus additional costs, is no longer the Mirai we are familiar with because it has now converted from a Prius-shaped hatchback into a premium luxury sedan for a more emotional form, unlike the previous model it replaces and it incorporates Toyota's new fuel cell powertrain to make it more lively and dramatic than ever.

So, why the conversion into a luxury car, you asked? Back at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the world got enraptured over the Mirai's next form, and because of its luxury sedan design, TNGA platform, and rear-wheel-drive caught the attention of the motoring world, Toyota was so pleased about letting the design stay when they turn it into a production model and here we are, the rebirth of Toyota's first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle that is now Crown-shaped rather than Prius-shaped.

Thanks to the GA-L platform it now runs on, the new Mirai is now surprisingly longer than the previous model, resulting in a more spacious interior fit for the environmentally woke executives trying to use this car as a template for their carbon-neutral goals. On the driver's side, they are greeted with a nearly minimalist interior that still packs some buttons to make it more user-friendly because the new Mirai still cares about what the customers need rather than itself. Despite being rear-wheel-drive, the new Mirai's boot space is big enough for a trip to the country club.

The GA-L platform the new model runs on as well as its rear-wheel-drive layout, not to mention the multi-link coil spring suspension setup, made the new Mirai more emotional to drive than the previous model, meaning it's got the same driving feel akin to expensive German imports. It really reminds us of the Crown in so many ways and thanks to its highly advanced safety systems, it's worth noticeable for those who are living in an era where semi-autonomous driving is now the king of the new normal.

The new model is powered by the new FCB130 fuel cell stack which produces 174PS of power and it's bolted to a 134kw electric motor as well as a Li-ion battery. The driving range is about 750 to 850km, depending on the variant, and the top speed is still capped at 175kph.

Toyota has made a lot of improvements in the making of the new fuel cell stack to this new model without sacrificing its dynamic performance for the greater good. You can really feel how much hard work the engineers have done in the process.

So there you have it. The second-generation Toyota Mirai is the gold standard of the Reiwa era because of its new fuel-cell powertrain, FR layout, TNGA platform, spacious interior, dramatic exterior design, and the most advanced tech offered. Some say it might take the reigns of the Crown because of some rumors about its imminent demise but whatever the reason, the new Mirai is the byproduct of Toyota's carbon-neutral future in the same way the Prius has done in the past. It really is the Toyota of the new normal.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

Toyota MIRAI (JPD10)

The year 2014 brought us one of the most important cars in history since when it first made and here it is. Meet the MIRAI. The Toyota MIRAI to be more exact and it's probably just another four-door Toyota but don't be alarmed.

2015 Toyota MIRAI

Judging by the way it looks, the MIRAI kinda really looks like an ordinary car and it's like driving a Toyota for normality reasons. Although this is a normal car, the MIRAI, true to its name, proves that the future is now thanks to science, and thanks to science, the MIRAI is the brand's first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

In the past, carmakers like Honda and BMW first introduced fuel-cell vehicles but their FCVs were only available for lease. For the MIRAI, this is the first-ever FCV to be available for sale to the motoring public. They can purchase one now at their nearest Toyota or Toyopet showrooms all over Japan but the pricing starts at 7,236,000 Japanese Yen. However, first-time buyers won't need to worry because the Japanese government will subsidize 2,252,900 Yen so it's now priced at 4,983,100 Yen or under $50,000.

2015 Toyota MIRAI interior

2015 Toyota MIRAI interior

Get ready because it's going to be one heck of a science lesson right about how the MIRAI works as an FCV for the selected masses.

Because hydrogen is highly flammable, the MIRAI stores its hydrogen in two hydrogen tanks made of CFRP and a fiberglass-reinforced plastic layer for the outer shell. These two hydrogen tanks can store a combined 122.4L of fuel or 5kg of hydrogen. It's capable of doing 650km of driving range. That sounds plenty although actual driving mileage can vary.

The hydrogen fuel that powers the MIRAI is measured in kilograms and one kilogram of hydrogen costs 1,100 Yen and filling up takes three minutes or so. Although hydrogen has the same price as petrol, it will never run out because hydrogen is one of the most abundant chemical substances in the universe.

Mind you, if you're going to refuel it with hydrogen at your nearest hydrogen-filling station, it's just like filling your car with petrol and the only difference is because this is under pressure and you'll have to lock it with the lever. This is important stuff because if you don't, you'll be spilling hydrogen on the floor. Yes, we heard that lecture from someone but take serious precautions because you might think that hydrogen really is water but not all hydrogens are created equal.

Unlike petrol-powered cars that emit smoke for some reasons, the only emission from the Toyota MIRAI is water but some say, it's safer than drinking milk so...who wouldn't dare to drink water out of it but for the love of all things holy, don't. I wouldn't mind drinking water out from that car because...it's like tap water to us so I'm not very sure if it's safe to drink one out from the MIRAI's emission.

2015 Toyota MIRAI

Performance-wise, the MIRAI is not bad for a family car with four doors and four seats. I mean, this saloon develops 155PS of power, which is more than what you get from the lease-only Honda FCX Clarity, and its top speed is about 175kph so it's not half bad. Although I'm not going to pretend that it's a lot more fun to drive than any other petrol-powered saloon but it feels like a sports saloon as I corner one through the bends.

The MIRAI may be an awful car to look at but as one suggests, it's the clever car that will save your weekend cars, much like when the car is invented to save the horses. That's logical stuff because when horses got rode by humans, they're starting to feel the exhaustion and the pain but when the car came in, they're free to do whatever they want. The same thing happens with petrol-powered cars and with this fuel-cell car, looks like those amazing gas-guzzlers will have their lives prolonged for a while.

I believe that the new Toyota MIRAI is now one of the most important cars for a centennial and it really fits to the lifestyle we're facing now. Think about it, we have lots of memories going around with our own cars. We get in, drove it as far as we like, we fill it with petrol, and we kept going and going. That is the cycle of what a petrol-powered car does but when others are looking for a replacement, say electricity, it feels like we're reverting back to the stone age once again.

With this car, today's going to be a great day thanks to science.

Available colors: Two-Tone Pure Blue Metallic, Two-Tone White Pearl Crystal Shine, Two-Tone Precious Silver, Two-Tone Precious Black Pearl, Two-Tone Dark Red Mica Metallic, Two-Tone Dark Blue Mica.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation