Toyota’s second-generation hydrogen-electric Mirai saloon has made its official debut. It’ll go on sale in the UK in March next year, where it’ll act as an alternative to conventional electric saloons, such as the Tesla model S and the upcoming BMW i4.
The Mk2 Mirai, which we’ve already sampled in prototype form, has moved to Toyota’s rear-wheel-drive GA-L platform, which it shares with the Japan-only Toyota Crown executive saloon. As such, its dimensions have grown over its predecessor – its length has extended by 85mm to 4,975mm, while its wheelbase has increased by 140mm to 2,920mm.
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The additional space offered by the new underpinnings has allowed Toyota to fit an extra hydrogen storage tank under the Mirai’s floor, which has increased the saloon’s fuel capacity and driving range by 30 percent. Now, the car’s three tanks can hold 5.6kg of hydrogen – providing a maximum range of around 400 miles.
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This improved range figure is helped along by the engineers’ fastidious approach to weight reduction. The fuel cell stack, for example, is smaller but more energy-dense than the old model’s – while its intake is almost 35 percent lighter than before. The fuel cell’s exhaust system is also made from a lightweight resin, as it only needs to carry water rather than the high-temperature gasses produced by a combustion engine.