Yesterday was Honda’s time to shine in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle limelight, and today Toyota is getting its chance to share some more details on the U.S. version of the FCV. When the vehicle arrives in the U.S. next year (specifically, it will land in California in fall 2015), it will drop the FCV moniker and will instead be called the Mirai.
The Mirai will feature an all-new 3.1 kW/L fuel cell stack that generates 153hp and will allow the vehicle to accelerate to 60 mph in 9 seconds. Toyota says that the midsize sedan will be capable of traveling 300 miles per tank, which puts it right on par with Honda’s FCV Concept.
Toyota will also offer an optional power take off (PTO) device with the Mirai that will allow it to operate as a mobile generator should you encounter a power outage at home, or need to provide power “out in the field.”
When it comes to pricing, the Mirai will have a base price of $57,500, however, Toyota points out that incentives of up to $13,000 depending on which state you live in will be available (a $8,000 federal credit is available and a $5,000 rebate is available for California residents). In addition, the vehicle will be available to lease for $499/month with $3,649 due at lease signing (36-month lease). Toyota also says that it will offer “complimentary hydrogen fuel for up to three years,” but there are no details on how and where customers will be able to take advantage of this perk.
According to Green Car Reports, only 700 Mirais will be produced for sale during calendar year 2015. Just 200 vehicles will be allocated for sale in the U.S. through the end of 2015; however, Toyota expects cumulative sales of the Mirai to reach 3,000 units in the U.S. by the end of 2017.
$57,000 is a lot to ask for a vehicle that has even more limited usefulness than today’s electric vehicles, and then there’s the issue of the vehicle’s styling. “Stylistically Challenged” would perhaps be the best way to describe the vehicle, and the rear taillight design definitely looks like something straight of a 1990s concept vehicle.
