The Toyota Mirai (Japanese: トヨタ・MIRAI, Hepburn: Toyota Mirai) is a mid-size hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) made by Toyota. It is the first FCV to be produced in large numbers and sold to the public. The Mirai was first shown at the November 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. By November 2022, 21,475 units had been sold worldwide. The United States sold the most, with 11,368 units, followed by Japan with 7,435 units, and other countries with 2,622 units.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests, the 2016 Mirai can travel 502 kilometers (312 miles) on a full tank of hydrogen. Its fuel efficiency rating was 66 miles per gallon (U.S.) combined for city and highway driving, making it the most fuel-efficient hydrogen FCV rated by the EPA at that time and the one with the longest range. In August 2021, the second version of the Mirai traveled 1,360 kilometers (845 miles) on a full tank of 5.65 kilograms (12.5 pounds) of hydrogen, setting a world record.
Sales in Japan began on December 15, 2014, with a price of ¥6.7 million (~US$57,400) at Toyota Store and Toyopet Store locations. The Japanese government offers a subsidy of ¥2 million (~US$19,600) to support fuel-cell vehicle sales. In the United States, retail sales started in August 2015 at a price of US$57,500 before any government incentives. Deliveries to customers in California began in October 2015. Toyota planned to sell the Mirai in the Northeastern United States by the first half of 2016. By June 2016, the Mirai was available for sale in the UK, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and Norway. In Germany, the starting price was €60,000 (~US$75,140) plus VAT (€78,540).
History
The Mirai is based on the Toyota FCV-R (Fuel Cell Vehicle) concept car, which was shown at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show and the Toyota FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) concept car, which was shown at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. The FCV concept car was a bright blue sedan shaped like a water droplet to show that water is the only substance released from the tailpipe of hydrogen-powered cars. The FCV has a large grille and other openings to allow cooling air and oxygen for the fuel cell. Toyota says the FCV looks similar to the final version of the car. The FCV is about the same size as the Toyota Camry. It is expected to travel about 700 km (430 miles) under Japan's JC08 test cycle.
Toyota says the FCV has a fuel cell system with a power output of 3.0 kW per liter, which is twice as high as the previous fuel cell concept, the Toyota FCHV-adv. This system produces more than 100 kW of power, even though it is smaller. The FCV uses Toyota's special, small, and lightweight fuel cell stack and two 70 MPa hydrogen tanks placed under the car's body. The FCV can carry up to four people. For the 2015 market launch, Toyota expects the fuel cell system to cost 95% less than the 2008 Toyota FCHV-adv.
The FCV uses parts from Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, including the electric motor, power control unit, and other parts from hybrid vehicles. This helps improve reliability and reduce costs. The hybrid system works with the fuel cell. At low speeds, like in city driving, the FCV uses energy stored in its battery, which is charged by regenerative braking. At higher speeds, the hydrogen fuel cell powers the electric motor. When more power is needed, such as during sudden acceleration, the battery helps the fuel cell to provide power.
In June 2014, Toyota showed an FCV with a design close to the final version, shared pricing details in Japan, and planned to sell the car in Japan before April 2015. Sales would begin in areas where hydrogen refueling stations are being built.
Key events in Toyota's fuel cell development:
– 1992: Toyota starts working on fuel cell vehicle technology.
– 1996: The EVS13, a fuel cell car with a metal hydride hydrogen tank, is shown in a parade in Osaka.
– 2001: Toyota displays the FCHV-4, FCHV-5, and Daihatsu MOVE FCV-K-II at the Tokyo Motor Show.
– 2002: The Highlander-based FCHV is sold in limited numbers in the U.S. and Japan. It has a 90 kW fuel cell and a range of 300 km (185 miles).
– 2003: Toyota and Daihatsu begin testing the MOVE FCV-K-II, a fuel cell Kei car.
– 2005: The FCHV gets approval to be sold in Japan.
– 2008: The FCHV-adv has a range of 830 km (515 miles) and better cold start performance.
– 2009: The U.S. government stops funding hydrogen fuel cell projects.
– 2010: A Toyota/Hino FCHV Bus runs daily between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and the city center.
– 2011: Toyota shows the FCV-R concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show.
– 2012: Toyota's chairman says electric vehicles do not meet society's needs.
– 2013: Toyota shows a fuel cell sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show and demonstrates that refueling takes less than three minutes.
– June 2014: Toyota shows a nearly finished FCV to the press and announces a 2015 launch in Japan at about ¥7,000,000.
– November 2014: Toyota shares details of the production version and names the car "Mirai," meaning "future."
– April 2015: The Mirai leads a NASCAR race in the U.S.
– June 2015: The Mirai leads a race at Sonoma, U.S.
– October 2015: The Mirai starts selling in California, the same day as a fictional flying car from the movie Back to the Future Part II.
– August 2018: A Mirai is refueled in Australia using hydrogen separated from ammonia.
– October 2019: Toyota announces the second-generation Mirai for 2021, based on a new platform and larger than the first model.
– July 2024: Toyota faces a lawsuit in California over the lack of hydrogen refueling stations.
Toyota began developing fuel cell technology in Japan in the early 1990s and tested a series of fuel cell vehicles over more than 1,600,000 km (1,000,000 miles). Since 2012, test vehicles have driven thousands of miles in North America, including hot conditions in Death Valley, cold testing in Yellowknife, Canada, steep hills in San Francisco, and high altitudes in Colorado. Toyota's carbon fiber hydrogen tanks have also been tested for strength and safety in crashes.
Between September 2015 and February 2016, one Mirai was driven 100,000 km (62,000 miles) in 107 days in Hamburg, Germany, using about one ton of hydrogen. In 2017, Toyota tested two Mirai fuel cells in a large electric truck at the Port of Los Angeles as part of Project Portal.
First generation (JPD10; 2014)
The Mirai uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which combines fuel cell technology with hybrid technology. The system includes parts developed specifically by Toyota, such as the fuel cell (FC) stack, FC boost converter, and high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The TFCS is more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines and does not produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) or harmful substances during operation. The system allows the Mirai to accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 9.0 seconds and complete a passing maneuver from 40 to 64 km/h (25 to 40 mph) in 3 seconds. Refueling the Mirai takes 3 to 5 minutes, and Toyota estimated a total range of 480 km (300 miles) on a full tank.
The Mirai has a button labeled H₂O that opens a gate at the rear of the vehicle to release water vapor produced during the hydrogen-oxygen reaction in the fuel cell. The amount of water produced is 240 mL per 4 km driven. After a journey, some water may remain in the vehicle’s pipes. Pressing the H₂O button pumps the remaining water out of the car. A video shows this process after driving about 30 km (20 miles).
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2016 Mirai model has a range of 502 km (312 miles) on a full tank, with a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 66 mpg-US (3.6 L/100 km; 79 mpg-imp) equivalent. Toyota’s official statement says hydrogen is consumed at a rate of 0.8 kg per 100 km (2.8 lb per 100 miles) during combined urban and extra-urban driving.
The first generation of Toyota’s fuel cell stack achieved a maximum output of 114 kW (153 hp; 155 PS). Engineers improved electricity generation efficiency by using 3D fine mesh flow channels. These channels, a first for Toyota, were arranged in a three-dimensional lattice structure to evenly distribute air (oxygen) across the fuel cell surface. This design enabled uniform electricity generation, resulting in a compact size and high performance. The stack’s power output density is 3.1 kW/L (2.2 times higher than the previous Toyota FCHV-adv model) or 2.0 kW/kg. Each stack contains 370 cells, with a cell thickness of 1.34 mm (0.05 in) and a weight of 102 grams (3.6 oz). The Mirai’s fuel cell stack produces about 160 times more power than residential fuel cells sold in Japan. The vehicle also has a new compact (13-liter; 2.9 imp gal; 3.4 US gal) high-efficiency converter that boosts voltage from the fuel cell stack to 650 volts.
The Mirai has two hydrogen tanks with a three-layer structure made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, including nylon 6 from Ube Industries and other materials. Together, the tanks hold 122 liters (27 imp gal; 32 US gal) of hydrogen stored at 70 MPa (10,000 psi). The tanks weigh 87.5 kg (193 lb) combined and can store 5 kg (11 lb) of hydrogen.
Toyota’s latest hybrid components are used in the Mirai’s fuel cell powertrain, including the electric motor, power control system, and main battery. The electric traction motor provides 113 kilowatts (152 hp; 154 PS) of power and 335 N·m (247 lbf·ft) of torque. The Mirai has a 245V (1.6 kWh) sealed nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) traction battery, similar to the one used in the Camry hybrid.
At Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center, the Mirai underwent extensive crash testing to evaluate its ability to protect occupants during frontal, side, and rear impacts. The design ensures strong protection for the fuel cell stack and high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The hydrogen tanks are said to have excellent hydrogen permeation prevention, strength, and durability. Hydrogen sensors alert drivers and can automatically close tank valves if needed. Hydrogen-related parts are placed outside the cabin so that any leaked hydrogen can dissipate easily. The vehicle’s structure uses carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers from Toray to spread and absorb impact energy across multiple parts, protecting the fuel cell stack and hydrogen tanks during collisions.
Second generation (JPD20; 2020)
The second-generation Mirai was introduced in October 2019 and became available for purchase in December 2020. Its goal is to increase driving range by 30 percent through greater hydrogen storage.
In April 2021, Toyota announced that it would include its "Teammate" level 2 driver assistance system in the Mirai. This system has two modes: Advanced Drive and Advanced Park. Advanced Drive allows hands-off driving on supported roads, with a driver monitoring system ensuring the driver keeps their eyes on the road. Advanced Park is a parking assistance system that helps with parking.
In March 2023, the Mirai was equipped with a new infotainment system.
In September 2021, the second-generation Mirai earned a five-star Euro NCAP overall safety rating. It scored 33.8 points (88%) for adult safety, 42 points (85%) for child safety, 43.7 points (80%) for pedestrian safety, and 13.2 points (82%) for safety assist features.
Infrastructure
As of January 2013, Japan had ten demonstration hydrogen fueling stations. Toyota operated three of these stations. To help make hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles available for sale by Toyota and other manufacturers, the Japanese government set a goal to build about 100 hydrogen fueling stations by March 2016. These stations would be located in Japanese cities where the vehicles were first introduced. By May 2016, there were about 80 hydrogen fueling stations in Japan.
In 2015, California had ten hydrogen fueling stations. The government gave about $47 million to build 28 more stations there. As of December 2017, there were 19 True Zero hydrogen stations and 33 total hydrogen stations in California.
As of 2023, British Columbia, Canada, has 3 hydrogen stations in Metro Vancouver, 1 in Victoria, and 1 in Kelowna.
Markets and sales
In December 2017, a total of 5,300 Mirai cars were sold worldwide. The United States sold 2,900 units, Japan sold 2,100 units, and Europe sold 200 units.
Sales in Japan began on December 15, 2014. The starting price in Japan was ¥6,700,000 (about US$57,400) before taxes. The government offered a discount of ¥2,000,000 (about US$19,600). At first, sales were limited to government and business customers. By December 2014, more than 400 Mirai cars had been ordered, exceeding Japan’s first-year sales goal. This led to a waiting list lasting over a year.
The Japanese government also provided a subsidy covering half the cost of installing hydrogen stations. For fiscal year 2014, ¥7,200,000,000 (about US$61.7 million) was set aside for this purpose. A hydrogen station in Japan cost ¥280,000,000 (about US$2.4 million), which was ¥150,000,000 (about US$1.29 million) more than in Europe. This higher cost limited the use of cheaper materials in Japan.
Toyota delivered the first Mirai to the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Japan. After sales began in December 2014, Toyota received 1,500 orders in one month, far exceeding its goal of 400 cars for the year. By mid-February 2017, about 1,500 Mirai cars had been sold in Japan, and by the end of 2017, about 2,100 had been sold.
The first 57 Mirai cars were delivered to customers in California in October and November 2015. Toyota planned to sell the Mirai in five Northeastern U.S. states by mid-2016, but hydrogen fueling stations were not yet available in those areas. Toyota promised to provide free hydrogen fuel for the first three years to early buyers, similar to a program by Hyundai.
In the United States, the 2016 model of the Mirai started at US$57,500 before government incentives. A 36-month lease option was available with a $3,649 down payment and a monthly payment of $499. Some states offered incentives and tax breaks for fuel cell vehicles. As a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), the Mirai qualified for a $5,000 purchase rebate in California. A federal tax credit for fuel cell vehicles was extended through December 2016. By September 2016, Toyota lowered the down payment to $2,499 and the monthly lease payment to $349. By December 2017, about 2,900 Mirai cars had been sold in the United States. Sales in California reached 3,000 units by January 2018, when 31 hydrogen stations were operating there. At that time, Mirai sales made up more than 80% of all hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States.
In 2024, Mirai owners in California filed a class-action lawsuit because there were not enough hydrogen refueling stations available. They claimed Toyota hid information about the lack of stations and broke warranty agreements.
In January 2018, Toyota Canada announced the Mirai would first be sold in Quebec, following the province’s zero-emission vehicle standard. Quebec tested 50 Mirai cars internally before the public launch. The first public display of the Mirai in Canada was at the Montreal International Auto Show in January 2018. Toyota is working with Quebec’s Ministry of Energy and Hydro-Québec to build hydrogen fueling stations in the province.
Toyota launched the Mirai in Europe in September 2015. The United Kingdom was the first European country to sell the Mirai outside Japan, delivering the first car to ITM Power. Germany and Denmark also released the Mirai in 2015, followed by other European countries in 2017. In Germany, the starting price was €60,000 (about US$75,140) plus taxes. By December 2019, the Mirai was available for sale in most European countries, including the UK, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Norway. About 640 Mirai cars had been sold in Europe by the end of 2019. In 2021, Copenhagen added 100 Mirai taxis to its fleet.
In 2015, former European Parliament President Pat Cox estimated that Toyota would lose between €50,000 and €100,000 (about US$60,000 to US$133,000 at 2014 exchange rates) on each Mirai sold in Europe.
Recognition
The Toyota Mirai won the 2016 World Green Car of the Year Award. The award was announced at the 2016 New York International Auto Show.
In April 2018, the Mirai became the first hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicle to travel the entire length of Great Britain, from John O'Groats in Scotland to Land's End in England. This journey marked a historic milestone in British motoring. The journey was driven by Richard Bremner and Luc Lacey from Autocar magazine and Jon Hunt from Toyota. They began in Kirkwall, Scotland, which is part of the Orkney Islands. To reach the hydrogen refueling stations available at the time, they traveled through Aberdeen, Sunderland, Rotherham, and Beaconsfield. The trip covered 1,785 kilometers (1,109 miles) at an average speed of 90 kilometers per hour (56 miles per hour). The journey took 19 hours and 40 minutes. The vehicle used 0.9 kilograms of hydrogen for every 100 kilometers, totaling 16.1 kilograms of hydrogen used.
In May 2021, the second generation of the Mirai received the "Car Technology of the Year" award from the Hispanic Motor Press. The award recognized the car's efforts to achieve zero emissions and its use of Toyota Safety Sense technology.
Marketing
In 2015, Toyota created a series of video commercials called Fueled By… for its car, the Mirai. These videos show how hydrogen, which powers the Mirai’s fuel cells, can come from many different and surprising sources. The final commercial, Fueled by the Future, includes actors Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and YouTube science educator Go Tech Yourself. It references the Back to the Future movie series and explains how the idea of turning trash into fuel—first shown in the movie as the "Mr. Fusion" reactor used by Dr. Emmett Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd)—has now become real. The commercial was released on October 21, the same date in Back to the Future Part II (2015) when Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox), Jennifer Parker (played by Claudia Wells and Elisabeth Shue), and Dr. Emmett Brown traveled through time.
Recalls
On February 15, 2017, Toyota recalled all approximately 2,800 Mirai cars that were in use because of an issue with the voltage produced by their fuel cell system. Toyota explained that under specific driving situations, such as when the accelerator pedal is pressed all the way down after driving downhill for a long time while using cruise control, the voltage from the fuel cell boost converter might become higher than the maximum allowed level. Toyota dealers stated they would update the software in the fuel cell system without charging customers, and the repair would take about 30 minutes.
Lawsuit
In June 2023, Toyota Motor Corporation faced a legal case in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The case involved claims that the hydrogen fuel cell system in the Toyota Mirai had defects. Plaintiffs said the system could experience unexpected power loss, which could create safety concerns. They also claimed Toyota was aware of these problems but did not inform customers. The lawsuit, led by Jason M. Ingber of the Ingber Law Group, asked for money to cover vehicle costs, repairs, and refunds. It also requested a court order to fix the defects.
Toyota denied the claims, stating the Mirai meets all safety and performance requirements. The company said any issues were rare occurrences. As of June 2024, the case is still active, and both sides are preparing for trial.