Toyota Mirai

Introduction:

Toyota Mirai is one-of-a-kind fuel-cell sedan, which was first displayed at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2014. Soon after this, it went into production and is on sale in Japan from December 2014 followed by United States from 2015. It is one of the first fuel-cell cars to be sold commercially. The Japanese firm has displayed this sedan at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo, but revealed nothing about its launch here in India. Our guess is that Toyota may launch the vehicle in the country only after 2017.

Pros:

1. It runs on Hydrogen fuel and emits water as by-product.

2. Its electric motor is as powerful and as efficient as a regular gasoline engine. 

Cons:

1. Fuel filling stations are limited in numbers.

2. Its cost of running is higher than conventional fuel cars. 

Standout features:

1. American-bound Mirai comes with innovative touch sensors for locking/unlocking of doors.

2. This car features several cutting-edge features including dynamic radar based cruise control, intelligent touch controls for climate are just to name a few. 

Background and Evolution:

Toyota took the automobile world by a surprise by unveiling its first Hydrogen fuel-cell car, Mirai at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2014. However, many ridiculed this product at first time. It was first launched in Japan and later in the United States. The company is expecting to sell approximately 2000 units this year and 3000 units in 2017. 

Overview:

“Mirai” is a Japanese word, which means future. And the hydrogen powered fuel-cell cars are the future of automobile industry. This may have inspired Toyota to name its fuel-cell car as 'Mirai'. Some individuals might mistake it as a Hybrid vehicle, but this one runs purely on hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. It is perhaps the first car in its class to undergo production and be on sale for regular purchase. Although, it is not confirmed for India, we expect that Toyota would soon unfold its plans for the country with new-age mobility solution. 

Exteriors:

The exterior design of this car is utterly contemporary. It is unlike any other Toyota we've ever seen. It has a futuristic exterior design that gets your attention instantly. It looks more like a concept model rather than a regular combustion engine powered vehicle. Its exteriors have a typical Japanese design trait that makes it easily recognizable. Although it doesn’t have the best of designs, it can still grab your attention with its unique design attributes and sculpture. 

Let's start with the front facade of the car. Its front bumper has a rather typical design with bigger air inlets that supplies air to the fuel-cell stack for generation of electricity. There is a thin chrome strip adorned to the bumper. Also, we can see LED fog lamps that add grace to this facet. 

The headlight cluster has a very sleek design and is integrated with four separate light units. There are LED units featuring automatic high beam function. 

The upper grille looks thinner, but blends into the facet well. The company's logo sits in the center of this grille, emphasizing the brand appeal. 

Side facet of this car is beautifully done with curves and crease lines. Although, the fenders look smaller, their beautiful curves express the sense of rich characteristic. 

Rear section of this sedan looks distinct with a blend of traditional design traits adorned with futuristic cosmetics. Apart from the taillight cluster, there is a light strip that passes throughout the width of the car, rendering it a rather uncluttered look. 

Its taillight cluster has a typical Japanese design and there is nothing special about it. But what makes it look different from the rest is the LED lighting pattern. 

On the whole, the Toyota Mirai has a distinctive exterior design that is at par with other conventional vehicles. 

Interiors:

Interiors of the Mirai are designed for future. It features a futuristic design dashboard integrated with two touchscreen displays. The design however, may not impress luxury car owners, since it lacks that precision feel that can be seen on other premium grade saloons. 

Its center console has a design unlike any other and it is mounted with a large touchscreen display. It comes integrated with an advanced entertainment and communication system. It also features a premium quality audio system with navigation, JBL and an Entune App suite. 

There is another touchscreen located on the floor console. It offers touch controls for air conditioning system, seat heating and other climate control functions. 

There are two other screens mounted on top of the central console, which does the job of a driver information unit. It displays vital stats of the car including speed, radar information, fuel levels, time among others. 

The one thing that you'll really like about the car is its seating arrangement. Its design is innovative and is produced with foam. Also, they have 8-way electrical adjustment facility. 

The rear cabin has two seats with adjustment head restraints and a central console. It houses utility features like a stowage bin. 

The steering wheel has a plain four spoke design mounted with multi-functional switches. It has leather cover, metallic and glossy black inserts, but doesn't just feel right in hands. 
Overall, its cabin design is a definite let-down for those individuals expecting for a premium grade interior. 

Performance:

This fuel-cell car is driven by an advanced technology. Its performance matches upto the levels of a gasoline powered motor. This vehicle features an electric motor, a fuel stack and a hydrogen fuel tank. Its fuel cell stack receives the hydrogen and air at the same time enabling a chemical reaction. This produces electricity that powers the front mounted electric engine. This motor powers the vehicle and makes it move forward. Overall the power output from this mechanism is clocked at 152bhp combined with a torque of 282Nm, which is far more impressive for a car of such standard. The transmission duties are handled by a single speed front drive system. It can cruise along the roads with a top speed of 178 kmph. Also, it has a range of 482 kilometers, which is considerably good. 

Ride and Handling:

This is perhaps the most important aspect of the car. This unconventional car gets a traditional suspension system that offers a ride quality like any other sedan. Its front axle is loaded with a conventional McPherson strut system and the rear gets twist-beam type of layout. Another important factor is that all important components like fuel-cell stack are mounted in the center of wheelbase that makes for a low center of gravity. This vehicle is currently available in Japan and United States markets only and hence, it is impossible for us to judge the ride quality of the vehicle. However, many auto pundits across these markets have rated the quality of ride and handling to be quite high. This is actually a positive sign. Many were surprised with the refined ride quality it offered. However, in India, it might not be the same, thanks to the rugged and uneven roads. 

Safety:

Toyota Mirai comes with high safety standard ensuring protection to the occupants irrespective of the situation. It is loaded with cutting-edge features and sensors that help prevent risks. In an event of a collision, its sensors stops hydrogen fuel flow to the fuel stack by shutting down the tank's output valve. This eventually stops electricity generation. This vehicle has a specifically designed interior cabin that doesn't allow build-up of hydrogen in case of a leakage. Another important factor is that the fuel tanks are designed with carbon fibre reinforcement that can help prevent leakage of fuel. There are tons of other safety features integrated inside the car including eight SRS airbags, rear cross-traffic alert, dynamic radar cruise control, smart stop technology and much more.

 
Variants and Verdict:

Internationally, this car comes in only one variant and we expect the same model to arrive here in India. But its price range in the country may exceed our expectation levels. At this point of time, it is hard to judge the vehicle, since we are yet to get our hands on it. It might take a few more years for it to arrive officially in our markets. Till then, we will be tracking all the latest updates of this futuristic car.