The all-new 2021 Toyota Mirai - a hydrogen-electric sedan with respectable performance and elegant design
The full technical specifications of the Toyota Mirai 2021 have been announced, and this new car comes designed on Toyota's GA-L platform, which allowed the company to transfer the fuel cell canister from under the cabin to the front cabin.
This provides the second-generation Mirai with better body balance while also producing a more spacious five-seat cabin. Additionally, the new design means Toyota can accommodate three high-pressure hydrogen tanks.
These cabinets are arranged in a "T" shape, with the longest linear run under the floor of the vehicle and the smaller cabinets positioned sideways under the rear seats and luggage compartment.
These new tanks can hold 5.6 kg of hydrogen compared to 4.6 kg of the previous model. Toyota has also shifted the high-voltage battery and electric motor over the rear axle, giving the Mirai an ideal 50:50 weight distribution.
The 2021 Toyota Mirai also features a new fuel cell stack that, like the previous model, uses a solid but smaller polymer, has fewer cells but more energy density. The new Mirai also comes with a rear-wheel drive system.
The DC converter with fuel cells is 21% smaller and 2.9 kg lighter than the previous model.
Also new for the 2021 model is a high-voltage lithium-ion battery instead of the previous car's nickel-metal hydride unit, which is also more energy-dense and 2.6 kg lighter.
The new engine develops 180 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque. The fuel cell sedan also has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated range of about 404 miles (650 km), which is a significant improvement over the 312 miles (502 km) of the previous model.
On the design front, there's not much to report as the production model looks nearly identical to the beautiful Concept the company launched last year. That's a good thing because the 2021 Mirai is much more attractive than its predecessor and looks like a decent luxury sedan rather than a Prius convertible.
The refined design continues in the cabin and closely resembles a test car. As a result, it features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and infotainment system.
We can also see the leather seats, glossy black inlays, and bronze accents. Other highlights include a digital rearview mirror, a panoramic sunroof and a more spacious rear seat with climate controls on the armrest.
