Displaying items by tag: Toyota Mirai

Friday, 02 July 2021 03:46

Toyota Mirai first drive

Welcome to the future: the hydrogen-powered Mirai is the EV you fill up in just five minutes
 
 

 At a glance

New price £49,995 - £64,995
Lease from new From £672 p/mView lease deals
Used price £36,295 - £44,220
Used monthly cost From £906 per month
Fuel economy
Not tested to latest standards
View pre-2017 economy specs
Insurance group 34How much is it to insure?

 PROS

  • The most ecologically sound car on sale?
  • Zero tailpipe emissions except water
  • A relaxing and comfy car to drive

 CONS

  • Rear seats are cramped and the boot is small
  • Extremely limited refuelling infrastructure
  • A rare-groove car – but a taste of the future?

Is the Toyota Mirai any good?

Just as the world is cottoning on to electric cars, along comes the Toyota Mirai to provide a sneak peek into what could come after the current crop of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The Mirai and Hyundai Nexo are the only hydrogen fuel-cell cars currently on sale in the UK, using a radically different engineering solution to the question of how to store electricity on board.

Instead of requiring a large battery like a conventional electric vehicle (EV), the Mirai generates its own electricity in something called a fuel-cell stack. Three small gas tanks store up to 5.6 kilogrammes of hydrogen where a petrol car might store its fuel and this feeds the fuel-cell, where a reaction takes place between oxygen in the atmosphere and the hydrogen to create the energy to drive the electric motor. It’s an elegant engineering solution and Toyota claims a range of 400 miles between refuels. That’s considerably longer than most comparable battery electric vehicles.

The great thing is that you’re rarely aware of the clever-clogs science taking place under the bonnet when you drive along. To all intents and purposes the Toyota Mirai feels like a normal electric car to drive: it’s hushed and quiet, with instant acceleration at low speeds and there are zero emissions of carbon dioxide or nasties apart from water, giving you a smug feelgood glow behind the wheel. Best of all? It’s simple and straightforward to drive, with no confusing buttons other than an H2O switch on the dash to discharge the water from a pipe under the car.

What’s it like inside?

The second-generation Toyota Mirai is less weird to look at than its gangly, angular predecessor – both outside and in. Exterior styling is much softened to give a more premium, European flavour of design, while the interior is bristling with technology, features high-quality materials and is commendably roomy in the front row.

Toyota Mirai interior

Accommodation is less generous in the back seats. Because of the need to package those three gas tanks and all the associated plumbing for the fuel-cell technology, it’s really quite cramped in the second row for a car of this size, and bootspace is compromised too.

Rear-seat passengers are disappointingly squashed in what is a 5m-long car where you might normally expect to find generous space for luggage and limbs.

Many adults’ feet and legs will rub the seatback in front of them, while taller passengers’ heads will strike the rooflining (this is compounded if you choose the top-rung Design Premium Pack’s Toyota Skyview panoramic glass sunroof). Note also that a 321-litre boot in a car this big is disappointing.

Toyota Mirai boot space

Cramped rear dimensions aside, the Mirai boasts a welcoming cabin in which front-seat passengers can enjoy spending time. You won’t mistake it for anything other than Japanese and there’s a range of graphics and switchgear that could only hail from the makers of Toyotas and Lexus products. For instance, there’s the same style of stubby gearlever that you’ll find on a Prius: it’s short and used to nudge forwards or back into Drive or Reverse (all Mirais are automatic).

Comfort

Toyota Mirai comfort is first-rate: this is an extremely pampering car and one whose priorities are clearly aimed at soothing the occupants, not providing any sports-car thrills. When you first climb in, access is easy thanks to wide-opening doors and you sink into super-comfortable front seats with electric adjustment, making it very easy to find the right position.

As noted elsewhere in our Toyota Mirai review, the rear seats are less satisfactory owing to the cramped packaging, and we don’t rate your chances of using the third central rear seat, owing to the large transmission tunnel bisecting the rear compartment and tight headroom. 

Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell

Operating the controls is pleasingly straightforward. Press the start button, select D and pull away: you’re transported into the wonderfully peaceful world of full electric cars, the Mirai gliding along in near silence. The party trick here is the sublime refinement all the way up to and including motorway speeds – there are few more hushed and relaxing cars on sale today. 

Driving along with a virtual halo above your head is an oft-forgotten attraction of EVs. There’s a high feelgood factor in this car and equipment levels are generous, from the excellent 14-speaker JBL stereo to the wireless phone charging and 10.1-inch head-up display that projects speed and satnav instructions up on to the windscreen, so drivers don’t have to dip their head to read important information.

Safety 

The Toyota Mirai is a rare-groove car and hasn’t been through the independent Euro NCAP test procedure yet. It is hard therefore to judge its safety credentials in isolation. However, you can take faith in the fact that this is essentially the top-of-the-range technology showcase from the world’s biggest car manufacturer: it’s dripping with technology to keep you and your loved ones safe.

The three hydrogen storage tanks are nested deep in the centre of the chassis, away from the risk of prangs or prods in an accident, and they’re built of super-tough ballistic material. 

Toyota Mirai fuel-cell

The Mirai’s bodywork is blistered with cameras, radars and sensors to observe the outside world and the data is used to keep the car on the straight and narrow. The Blind Spot Monitor monitors that awkward over-the-shoulder space where danger can lurk, warning if you’re about to pull out into an oncoming vehicle on a dual carriageway, while Rear Cross Traffic Alert does the same when you’re reversing at low speed from a parking space.

If the worst happens, a Pre-Collision System predicts an impact is looming and will warn the driver, prepare the brakes for an emergency stop and – if the driver ignores the warnings – will brake for you, to wipe off speed before a crash. Eight airbags are fitted across both rows of seats to protect occupants in the event of an accident.

Isofix child-seat attachments are fitted to make it easier to fit infant carriers in the back seats.

What engine options are there?

This is a delightfully simple range to browse: there is only one single Mirai powertrain option available, with a 134kW electric motor equivalent to 182hp. Your only choices are to pick between three different spec levels, depending on how much equipment you’d like.

What’s it like to drive?

The Toyota Mirai is wonderfully relaxing to drive most of the time. The sense of quiet, the refinement at all speeds and the satisfaction of knowing you’re driving such a futuristic car whose only emissions are water make for a great experience. 

Toyota Mirai review 2021

Acceleration at low speeds is brisk, in that way that all electric cars are. Pulling away from traffic lights or out of a T-junction, there’s an immediate surge of power, but after that initial hit of speed, thrust quickly tails away in the Mirai. That’s because this has been tuned as an executive car, not a performance saloon, as the 9.0sec 0-62mph time demonstrates. Top speed is limited to 108mph.

It’s big and heavy – measuring nearly five metres long and weighing the best part of two tonnes – and performance is well judged for its target market. You’ll keep up with the traffic but it’s at its happiest wafting along at a gentle cruise, the pliant ride soaking up most bumps in the road despite the sizeable 20-inch alloy wheels. This is not a car that rewards driving hard or fast.

Another reason not to thrash the Mirai is its range. Toyota claims up to 400 miles between refills, but we managed just shy of 300 miles. If you drove around town at creeping urban speeds, we suspect that official claim would be achievable and the manufacturer recently set a world record for the distance travelled by a fuel-cell car when a standard roadgoing Mirai drove 623 miles. But in mixed, real-world driving conditions involving a mix of urban, motorway and cross-country roads we’d caution that 250-300 miles is more readily achievable between top-ups. 

Range anxiety kicks in only too quickly when the UK has only /eleven/ hydrogen refuelling stations.

Ownership costs and how to refuel a Toyota Mirai

Electric cars are typically expensive to buy and cheap to run – but the Mirai flips that logic on its head a little bit. Costs have fallen substantially on this second-generation model, whose price tumbled by a quarter to just below £50,000 at launch in summer 2021. The reality is that many of these cars will be bought by corporate customers with ready access to private or local H2-refuelling systems.

Because this is a full zero-emissions electric car, you pay no road tax and company car drivers will benefit from a pleasingly low benefit-in-kind rate of just 1%. The taxman favours cars like this at present, saving you money on your tax return. However, refuelling costs are more akin to what petrol and diesel owners are used to: we paid £12 per kilogramme when we filled up, with a total bill of £44.52 for 3.7kg of hydrogen.

Refuelling a Toyota Mirai

It’s very simple and easy, although we were surprised to find on test that the volume of hydrogen inserted can vary depending on atmospheric pressure, temperature and other variables. Even when ‘brimmed’, we were unable to get anywhere near the 400-mile claimed range; our test car showed just 252 miles of range once we’d topped up, rising to 276 when we flicked the climate control off. This is disappointing. 

What models and trims are available?

There is only one technical spec of Mirai available, but you can choose from Design, Design Plus Pack and range-topping Design Premium Pack specs.

Every model comes with electric windows all-round, keyless entry and start, electrically adjustable steering wheel and eight-way adaptable front seats, plus a rear-view parking camera and wireless phone charger for compatible mobiles.

Also standard fit on UK-spec Toyota Mirais are LED lamps front and rear, Bluetooth phone connectivity, satellite-navigation and alloy wheels, starting with 17-inch rims rising to larger 20in items on higher-spec models.

(parkers.co.uk)

Published in Toyota
Tuesday, 04 May 2021 08:30

New Toyota Mirai 2021 review

We get behind the wheel of the second-generation Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car

Verdict
Toyota has learned a great deal about fuel cell cars since the first Mirai was released back in 2014 - and it shows. The new model is improved in pretty much every measurable way, and most subjective ones, too. While limited refuelling options, a cramped interior and a high purchase price mean the Mirai won’t be for everyone, it’s a rolling proof of concept that shows hydrogen will play a big part in a zero-emission future - just maybe not for passenger cars.

Dare to search out the type of pub monologue given by a person with the confidence only a few drinks can bring, and you’ll hear that the future of motoring isn’t in electric vehicles, but hydrogen.

Here, then, is the all new Toyota Mirai, powered by that very fuel that’s seemingly always been on the cusp of the mainstream. It’s the sleeker, more handsome second-generation model of the brand’s hydrogen fuel cell car, and it proves that the world’s most abundant element can play a huge part in our zero-emission future - just not necessarily for cars.

Hydrogen fuel cells: do hydrogen cars have a future?
Let’s start with how the Mirai works, because this is still, in essence, an EV. A fuel cell works by passing hydrogen across an anode, which splits the atoms into protons and electrons. The electrons then pass through a circuit to generate a flow of electricity, which in turn charges a small lithium-ion battery that, like a regular EV, drives an electric motor.

A clever chemical reaction that sees hydrogen react with oxygen from the atmosphere means the only byproduct is water, as a puff of vapour from the exhaust.

All of this magic happens under the Mirai’s long bonnet. Advancements in the tech since the first-gen car was launched mean that the fuel cell is 50 per cent lighter and physically smaller, yet it makes 12 per cent more power, so the Mirai’s motor now generates 180bhp.

Progress in the Mirai is serene. A nine-second 0-62mph time is a world away from the mind-bending speed of some EVs, but the acceleration feels smooth and linear. Put your foot to the floor, and there is a slight delay before the Mirai jumps ahead, a process accompanied by a sci-fi hum that’s distinct from any other pure-electric car.

The Mirai is set up for a relaxing drive, but that’s not to say it feels stodgy. The ride is forgiving - even on top spec Design Premium Pack trim’s 20-inch wheels - yet the car is neatly balanced front to rear, so it feels stable and predictable. At speed, the only obvious noise is the subdued tyre roar.

So what are the benefits of hydrogen as a fuel source? Well mile-for-mile, it’s significantly lighter than a battery. Whereas a Tesla Model S promises 390 miles from a battery weighing roughly 500kg, the hydrogen that fills the Mirai’s tank weighs just 5.6kg and will carry you for an official range of 400 miles. It means that, overall, the Mirai tips the scales at 1,900kg - on par with a combustion vehicle of a similar size.

Toyota says that the Mirai consumes 0.89kg of hydrogen every 62 miles; in the UK, a refill costs about £10 per kg. Our test drive covered more enthusiastic driving than most will subject it to, and the Mirai consumed 1.17kg per 62 miles - equating to about £56 for a 300-mile real world range. That’s a similar cost to a petrol car achieving 32mpg.

Of course, filling a hydrogen car represents a stumbling block for the technology. While EV charge points continue to pop up at a relentless pace, the total number of hydrogen filling stations in the UK stands at 14. There are a couple of big stations under construction, but the fuel is definitely more scarce.

To create hydrogen, it needs to be separated from water via electrolysis, compressed and liquified and, if this process isn’t done on-site, transported to a refuelling station, where the fuel cell then uses more energy to generate its electrical charge, so it’s not the most energy-efficient process.

A full EV effectively skips the admin, taking electricity from the national grid. Of course, there are other factors, such as the sourcing of raw materials, but fuel cell vehicles still need lithium, too.

And while 5.6kg of hydrogen goes a long way, packaging the tanks needed is tricky. The Mirai has three. The largest is mounted within the spine of the car in the floor, which creates a high central tunnel inside. Further tanks are located fore and aft of that, squeezing the cabin from either end. As a result, rear legroom is barely any better than most superminis, and the boot offers just 321 litres - this in a car with a similar footprint to an Audi A7.

Otherwise, the cabin is well-finished and packed with tech. There’s a huge infotainment screen, a digital instrument panel and a 10.1-inch head-up display. All four seats are heated and cooled, while back-seat occupants get a fold-down centre armrest that houses controls for entertainment and climate functions.

Despite being more powerful, more luxurious and better equipped than before, prices now start from £49,995 - the best part of ten grand less than the first Mirai. This top spec Design Premium Pack costs £64,995. That’s still strong money for the performance, but there’s always a price to pay for being an early adopter.

By Toyota’s own admission, the Mirai is essentially a rolling research lab. It proves the tech works, though its finest application is unlikely to be in cars, but in commercial vehicles. Refuelling stations can be built at transport depots topping up lorries and buses at a speed and with a range that - currently - lithium-ion batteries just can’t compete with. The weight saving of hydrogen relative to a big battery is already significant in a car - it would be enormous once expanded to the size of an HGV.

(https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/)

Published in Toyota

The Compare the Market website analyzed search data from 158 countries in 2018, 2019 and 2020

 Toyota is not only the best-selling car brand in the world, the brand is also the leader in terms of search on Google. BMW, last year’s number one, dropped significantly in this year’s search.

The Compare the Market website analyzed search data from 158 countries in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The total number of car brand searches in 2020 was approximately 88 million. According to the study, Toyota ranked first in 55 countries, representing 34.8 percent of the total number of countries analyzed.

A year earlier, that position was still occupied by BMW, which experienced a huge drop in search volume during the year ravaged by the pandemic. A year earlier, BMW was the most sought-after car brand in 118 countries, compared to only 34 countries in 2020. That represents a drop of 64 percent.

Mercedes-Benz is in third place again this year. Interestingly, the Kia and Ford brands did relatively well, finishing in fourth and fifth place. Both car brands were in last place in 2019, and each was in first place in only one country.

Published in Blog/News

Toyota's redesigned Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan brings handsome design and 400 miles of range—but only to those who live in California.

In the 1990s, Apple Computer appeared doomed as its market share dwindled and developers abandoned its platform. At the time, Microsoft's Windows could run pretty much anything, whereas Macs were known for running a few applications and games. Even though the Mac had a rabid following, the question emerged: Why buy a Mac when it doesn't run everything?

Toyota finds itself in similar situation with its comprehensively redesigned 2021 Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. Although the new car impresses as a stylish touring sedan, limited hydrogen-fueling infrastructure in the United States means California is the only American market where it will be sold. In other words, why buy a car that can't be driven everywhere?

The 2021 Mirai starts at $50,455—some $9090 cheaper than its predecessor—and rides on Toyota's GA-L platform. With an electric drivetrain powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, drivers get the dual benefits of a zero-emissions vehicle with a conveniently short refueling time similar to a traditional internal-combustion powertrain—provided you can find a hydrogen station. Under the hood of this freshly designed four-door is a smaller and more efficient fuel-cell stack that generates 172 horsepower, which is an increase of 19 horses over the first-generation Mirai. Range is up 30 percent to a quoted 402 miles on the base XLE model. The range increase is due partially to the new Mirai's three cylindrical hydrogen tanks (one more than before) situated under the cabin and trunk that can hold 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen when compressed at 10,000 psi, which is 12 percent more capacity than before. Working together with the fuel cell is a 1.2-kWh lithium-ion battery to power a 182-hp electric motor that sits behind the rear seats.

The result is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with a nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution, which is something the previous front-wheel-drive model couldn't claim. Toyota's reasoning for the switch from front- to rear-drive boils down to more efficient packaging of the updated fuel cell in the new chassis. We'd say it was a good move, as the Mirai is surprisingly enjoyable to drive. Its well-balanced chassis feels refined and composed. The previous car's strut-type front and torsion-beam rear suspension have been replaced by multilink arrangements fore and aft, which soaked up most of the ruts and bumps we encountered on the mountain roads of Northern California. The bulk of the hydrogen tanks and battery do make the Mirai feel heavy in corners, but not enough to make it unwieldy. Jabs of the accelerator produce a quick hit of force that will be familiar to anyone who's driven a conventional EV. However, with the electric motor's 221 pound-feet of torque tasked with moving about 4300 pounds of Toyota, the run to 60 mph is a lazy one at an expected 9.1 seconds.

The Mirai's premium feel on the road does seep into its relatively spacious five-seat cabin, although some elements of the interior are not quite up to the standard we'd expect to find in a $50K-and-up vehicle. For example, its front seats are comfortable and supportive, but the quality of Toyota's SofTex synthetic leather upholstery looks cheaper than it should. Some drivers will find it a stretch to reach the climate controls, thanks to the swooping design accent across the Mirai's dash. And while the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen for Toyota's Entune infotainment system supports Amazon Alexa, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay connectivity, the system is not as attractive nor as intuitive as we'd like.

Unlike the ungainly first-gen model, the new Mirai makes its best impression from the outside. Its long hood, sleek greenhouse, and clean body lines all work to give it presence as arguably the best-looking Toyota sedan. Whether its sharp styling was conscious decision to help lure potential buyers into a hydrogen-powered future is up for debate, but it certainly should draw eyes in Toyota showrooms, at least those in the Golden State.

And that's the Mirai's Achilles' heel: Its goodness is trapped in a geographic area. Without plentiful hydrogen stations, even the new car's increased range matters little outside of California. Toyota has and still relies on outside sources to establish a hydrogen infrastructure in the U.S., which leaves the Mirai's future largely to the whims of corporations and government bureaucracy.

The stylish iMac computer eventually helped Apple turn itself around after nearly declaring bankruptcy. It sold more computers, wooed developers to its operating system, and eventually introduced the money-printing iPhone. Apple made sure that the style it sold was supported by the right technology, which helped it blossom into the powerhouse that is today. Hydrogen vehicles have yet to achieve a similar cult status, but Toyota's much-improved Mirai is a compelling step in the right direction.

Source: caranddriver.com

Published in Toyota
Monday, 30 November 2020 17:12

New Toyota Mirai prototype review

We get behind the wheel of a prototype version of the second-generation Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car

Verdict
Disregarding the fuel cells beneath its bonnet, the Mirai is up there with ‘normal’ luxury saloons for the suave way it goes down the road. More than that, it’s a fantastic showcase for Toyota’s increasingly efficient and affordable hydrogen tech. Sadly it’s still teeth-suckingly expensive next to ICE alternatives, and is likely to remain a niche corporate purchase for a while yet. But with hydrogen cars this good on the market, the infrastructure surely can’t be far behind.

The development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HEVs) has been stuck in a chicken and egg debacle for many years now. Which comes first – the cars or the infrastructure?

Given that there are currently 14 hydrogen filling stations in the UK, despite the fact that there have been two hydrogen fuel cell vehicles available (albeit at prohibitive cost) on sale over here in the shape of the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai, it looks like the car is going to have to come first.

So here is Toyota’s latest effort to further the hydrogen cause; the all-new, second generation Mirai. This is an early pre-production model but, with the car now based loosely on a Lexus LS platform, the Mirai has become rather suave and dashing in an understated kind of way.

Unless you were looking for the tell-tale badges on the outside, you’d never know that a fuel-cell stack sits beneath its bonnet, which in turn drives a 180bhp electric motor mounted on the rear axle. In the middle of all that sits three T-shaped hydrogen tanks that can take 5.6kg of hydrogen – the equivalent of 142.2 litres, giving an estimated driving range of around 500 miles between fill-ups (which take no longer than in a petrol or diesel car).

In practice, the serene-feeling new Mirai is a revolution to drive compared to its predecessor. The steering is light and, while far from precise, feels direct and predictable. Ride comfort is truly exceptional, too. There’s quite a bit of pitch and heave as the sizeable body (which roughly splits the difference between a BMW 5 Series and 7 Series) shifts about, but it’s well controlled and unobtrusive, not to mention worth living with for the pillowy way the Mirai rolls over scruffy surfaces.

This comfort, and the near silent, seamless power delivery are the defining characteristics of the Mirai’s newfound luxury ambience. A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is still driven by an electric motor so you get the same continuous, uninterrupted stream of acceleration that is becoming familiar with normal battery EVs. There’s no discernible noise at all from the fuel cells as they putter away mixing hydrogen from the fuel tanks and oxygen from the atmosphere, to create electricity for power, and a small amount of water as the only bi-product, which you can purge by pressing a tempting ‘h2o’ button just next to steering wheel.

This powertrain is quiet and refined by its very nature, then, and in the Mirai it’s cosseted in a car that’s been given all the refinement treatment you’d expect of a top-notch Lexus. But for a distant burr of wind and tyre rush, noise and vibration in the Mirai is virtually indiscernible.

Even the interior, which is stuffed with high quality leather, chunky armchair-like seats, a huge touchscreen resplendent with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as factory-fit nav, feels befitting of a limo-class car despite the odd cheaper-feeling switch and panel finish. There’s luxurious amounts of room to stretch out in the back seats, too.

The only thing about the Mirai that isn’t luxurious is the performance. It doesn’t feel as lazy as the 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds suggests; there’s decent pick up even from middling speeds to motorway speeds, but for a big, plush car – environmentally minded or not – it’d be reasonable to expect better performance. Toyota maintains that it can put a more powerful motor in fairly easily, but with efficiency and range the chief priority with the Mirai, engineers stuck with stately rather than sporty performance.

As it is, it’s really rather lovely to drive in a big, wafty, almost eerily quiet fashion. But more importantly it represents a host of incremental gains that could help to make hydrogen a feasible solution for mainstream vehicles.

The fuel cells are now lighter and more efficient, and the fuel tanks aren’t just bigger, they’re made of a new, lighter and more affordable carbon fibre. More than that, with these gains factored in and Toyota’s increasingly refined hydrogen fuel cell production line, the company can now punch out a hydrogen fuel cell in a matter of seconds - and for usefully less money than before.

Having said that, the Mirai still may not even be available as a normal retail purchase. List prices are yet to be confirmed, and while it’s expected to be more affordable than before, you’ll probably still have to find around £65,000 – or a monthly lease payment (the previous generation cost £750 per month) is also a likely option.

That’s cheaper, yet a million miles from cheap. Even without the extreme limitations of the hydrogen charging infrastructure, being able to get an Audi A6, BMW 5 Series or otherwise for some £20,000 less makes the Mirai, well… Let’s just say it’s hard to recommend. Even so, that shouldn’t detract from the fact that it is, by any measure, lovely to drive and – most importantly – a superb showcase for hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Source: autoexpress.co.uk

Published in Toyota

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