Toyota was the first company to launch a successful mass produced hybrid car in 1997 – the Prius, deemed the cleanest car ever to roam the American roads (until the launch of the Tesla Roadster, of course). The Japanese car maker was very enthusiastic about this little hybrid – and it has something to be excited today as well, as Akio Toyoda, the company’s President and CEO, has announced the company’s upcoming hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the Toyota Mirai (meaning Future in Japanese).
“We believe that behind the wheel of the Mirai, we can go places we have never been, to a world that is better, in a car that is better,” Toyoda said in a video shown at the press event. “For us, this isn’t just another car. This is an opportunity, an opportunity to really make a difference. And making a difference is what Toyota is all about,” Toyoda declared (cited by ForbesLife). Toyota is as serious about hydrogen fuel cell cars as it was about hybrid cars back in the 1990s, leading to the launch of the Prius and several other similar models. The introduction of the Mirai is the first step of bringing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to the mainstream.
Mirai has grown out of the Toyota FCV (most likely an acronym for ‘fuel cell vehicle’) concept, revealed at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The new model will be revealed at the 2014 LA Auto Show that starts on the 21st. The specifications of the FCV concept are known – it is a sedan with four seats, 100 kW engine power, and a range of approximately 300 miles (or approximately 700 kilometers or 430 miles according to Japan’s JC08 test cycle). According to the manufacturer, the car can provide enough electricity to provide an average Japanese home with power for more than a week. The Toyota Mirai is expected to become available to Japanese buyers next April, with US and European sales to follow later. Reportedly the target price for the US market will be around $50,000.