For 2021, Toyota
is wadding up the "design" of its fuel cell electric Mirai and starting
fresh. Almost nothing at all is expected to carry over from the
current-generation car, which is welcome news for those of us who have
regarded the current Toyota Mirai's
visage in much the same way Perseus did the mythological monster
Medusa. And perhaps the internal mandate that super-efficient Toyotas be
wrapped in hideous sheetmetal has at last been rescinded. I mean,
remove your safety blinders and look at this long-hood,
short-deck, four-door coupe. The concept version of the 2021 Mirai
pictured here is beautiful. It looks for all the world like a Lexus relieved of its predator grille.
Lexus Bones?
Indeed,
the next Mirai will ride on an as yet unspecified rear-drive platform.
Its 114.9-inch wheelbase slots comfortably between those of the Lexus LC
(113.0 inches) and LS (116.9 inches) variants of the TNGA-L platform.
Those cars seem about as wide as the '21 Mirai model we were shown in
advance of its Tokyo Motor Show public debut. Or perhaps it will share
the new electric-optimized e-TNGA platform, which is slated to underpin
10 global models that will begin hitting the market next year. That
platform is designed to accommodate front-drive, dual-motor AWD, or the
Mirai's new rear-wheel-drive setup. This change is aimed at boosting the
car's dynamic driving appeal. Engaging dynamics and beautiful design
are but two of the changes Toyota is making to help the Mirai earn its
$60,000-plus price tag, thereby hopefully broadening its customer base
beyond the current crop of planet-savior/design-martyrs. Why not just
badge it a Lexus? Because the Toyota brand has traditionally pioneered
hybrid and fuel cell technology.
Handles Like No Other Toyota
The
longer, lower, wider Mirai, we're assured, will set a new benchmark for
Toyota sedans in terms of dynamics. Rear drive and a broader stance are
two steps in the right direction, and a third is the availability of
20-inch wheels and tires. We're also told the next Mirai will boast
improved aerodynamics, an even quieter cabin, a 12.3-inch infotainment
screen, a 14-speaker JBL sound system, and five-passenger seating when
it goes on sale in late 2020. One thing that may not return to the standard equipment list: complimentary hydrogen refueling (up to $15,000).
400-Mile Range
Moving
to the larger premium rear-drive architecture will add weight, but
improvements to the next generation of fuel cell stack and a slightly
higher-capacity tank are expected to extend the 2021 Toyota Mirai's
driving range by 30 percent (the current generation is rated for 312
miles). We expect more specific information regarding the efficiency
improvements, mass, dimensions, etc. to be released later in the year.
30,000 Per Year!
To
date, Toyota has sold just 6,000 Mirais in the U.S. since its 2015
launch. Or more accurately, leased almost 6,000 Mirais in Southern
California (less than 1 percent have chosen the purchase option). Japan
has been the Mirai's second best sales market, with Europe in a distant
third. An aggressive global sales goal of 30,000 Mirais per year is
based on a drastic sales redistribution. Japan and Europe now have way
more hydrogen fueling stations than we have in the U.S., and hence those
regions are expected to get way more Mirais. (That's why the new Mirai
is a sedan and not an SUV or crossover.) Many new hydrogen stations are
poised to open in the northeastern U.S., as soon as some
Hindenberg-informed legacy laws prohibiting hydrogen in tunnels or on
bridges can be amended. When that happens, Mirai sales will begin in
that region. And all hydrogen stations are becoming more user-friendly,
with fewer of them suffering the "icing" problems we occasionally
experienced with our long-term 2016 Mirai.
Toyota's
fuel cell technology is clearly maturing, and for EV-buyers that don't
have access to a home charging setup, five-minute hydrogen refueling is
way more attractive than the available battery charging options. Now
it's a race to develop the refueling infrastructure quickly enough to
assuage buyer range anxieties so that production scale economies can
bring fuel cell vehicle pricing down to where the general public can
afford it. But when that happens, please, Toyota, don't revert to
hideous design.
