A couple of things happened in 1997. The first, I graduated from Garfield High School in Akron, Oh. The second? Toyota launched the Prius in the U.S. Now if your like me, I dont remember much about the hoopla surrounding the Prius. The 1997 variety was ugly, slow , and I’m sure at first a hard sell. 
I mean, come on now, look at this thing. This is not an attractive car. Ok, enough beating up on it because, since the inception of the Prius it has sold over 7,000,000 units! I cant remember what generation of technology the Prius is on, but other manufacturers have either leased or bought the rights to the previous generations technology, for powertrains for their Hybrid cars. The Prius has sold so well that it is kind of a brand within a brand. There is the standard Prius, the Prius Hatchback , the subcompact Prius c and the Electric Prius EV.
In a post about the Mirai, you may ask, why am I talking so much about the Prius? The answer is, people felt the same way about Hybrid technology as they do about fuel cell technology. Toyota bet the farm on the Prius and it paid off. Instead of going towards the fully electric (and expensive) they went the other way towards the fuel cell. Toyota actually bought into the Tesla franchise and experimented with electric, with the Rav4EV. So , they couldve gone that way much easier than blazing their own trail in the Fuel Cell market.
So lets talk about the first generation Fuel Cell vehicle called the Mirai. Unlike its Prius predessosor the Mirai is beautiful. With sleek lines, agrresive front end, and a great overall stance, you will NOT be afraid or ashamed to drive this bad boy!
The Toyota Mirai is a four-door, mid-size sedan with performance that fully competes with traditional internal combustion engines – but it uses no gasoline and emits nothing but water vapor. The groundbreaking fuel cell electric vehicle is powered by hydrogen, re-fuels in about five minutes, and travels up to 300 miles on a full tank.
Mirai will be available to customers in California beginning in fall 2015, with additional markets tracking the expansion of a convenient hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Powered by an industry-leading fuel cell electric drivetrain and supported by an exceptional 360-degree ownership experience, Mirai marks a turning point for consumer expectations for a zero-emission vehicle.Now lets talk about the specifics.
Making its Mark with Performance
In its basic operation, a fuel cell vehicle works much like a battery electric vehicle. But instead of the large drive battery, Mirai’s fuel cell stack combines hydrogen gas from tanks with oxygen to produce electricity that powers the electric motor.
Toyota’s proprietary fuel cell stack represents a major leap forward in performance, delivering one of the world’s best power outputs of 3.1 kW/L at a dramatically reduced size that fits under the front driver and passenger seats. The system provides Mirai with a maximum output of 153hp, accelerating from 0-60 in 9.0 seconds and delivering a passing time of 3 seconds from 25-40 mph.
What’s more, thanks to fuel cell technology’s versatility and adaptability, the Mirai offers performance options that go well beyond a traditional automobile. In fact, the vehicle will be offered with an optional power take off (PTO) device that enables Mirai to serve as a mobile generator in case of emergency. With the PTO accessory, Mirai is capable of powering home essentials in an average house for up to a week in an emergency – while emitting only water in the process.
Safe and Reliable Transportation
Toyota began fuel cell development in Japan in the early 90s and have developed a series of fuel cell vehicles, subjecting them to more than a million miles of road testing. In the last two years alone, fuel cell test vehicles have logged thousands of miles on North American roads. This includes hot testing in Death Valley, cold testing in Yellowknife, Canada, steep grade hill climbs in San Francisco and high altitude trips in Colorado. The Toyota-designed carbon fiber hydrogen tanks have also undergone extreme testing to ensure their strength and durability in a crash.
This extended legacy of research and development is reflected in Mirai’s safety and reliability. At Toyota’s advanced Higashifuji Safety Center, the vehicle has been subjected to extensive crash testing to evaluate a design specifically intended to address frontal, side and rear impacts and to provide excellent protection of vehicle occupants. A high level of collision safety has also been achieved to help protect the fuel cell stack and high-pressure tanks against body deformation.
Mirai will also feature a broad range of standard onboard safety technologies, including vehicle pre-collision, blind spot monitor, lane departure alert, drive start control and automatic high beams.
Focused on the Consumer
Toyota believes that outstanding vehicle performance must be matched by an exceptional ownership experience. And Toyota is committed to delivering on that promise.
When it hits the market in 2015, customers can take advantage of Mirai’s $499 per month/36 month lease option, with $3649 due at lease signing, or purchase the vehicle for $57,500. With combined state and federal incentives of $13,000 available to many customers, the purchase price could potentially fall to under $45,000.
The vehicle will be matched by a comprehensive, 360-degree Ownership Experience offering a range of services, including:
• 24/7 concierge service, with calls answered by a dedicated fuel cell representative;
• 24/7 enhanced roadside assistance, including towing, battery, flat tire assistance, trip interruption reimbursement, and loaner vehicle;
• Three years of Toyota Care maintenance, which covers all recommended factory maintenance, up to 12,000 miles annually;
• Eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on fuel cell components;
• Entune and three years of complimentary Safety Connect, including hydrogen station map app; and,
• Complimentary hydrogen fuel for up to three years.
Building a Convenient Refueling Infrastructure
In addition, Toyota continues to support the development of a convenient and reliable hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
Research at the University of California Irvine’s Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP) has found that 68 stations, located at the proper sites, could handle a FCV population of at least 10,000 vehicles. Those stations are on their way to becoming a reality. By the end of 2015, 3 of California’s 9 active hydrogen stations and 17 newly-constructed stations are scheduled to be opened to the general public, with 28 additional stations set to come online by the end of 2016, bringing the near-term total to 48 stations.
Nineteen of those 48 stations will be built by FirstElement Fuels, supported by a $7.3 million loan from Toyota. The company has also announced additional efforts to develop infrastructure in the country’s Northeast region. In 2016, Air Liquide, in collaboration with Toyota, is targeting construction of 12 stations in five states – New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Jeremy Brown 