New 2021 Toyota Mirai FCEV Is Priced From $49,500

Toyota will include up to $15,000 in hydrogen with the purchase.
The new Mirai is more attractive and less expensive than the previous car.
The range has increased to 402 miles.

Toyota is one of the very few remaining automakers still heavily investing in fuel-cell technology. The benefits to the powertrain are numerous and Toyota wants to prove that FCEVs have a future. In fact, did you know that “mirai” actually means future in Japanese? The new 2021 Mirai is certainly convincing today.

The 2^nd generation Mirai is actually built on the same platform that underpins the flagship Lexus LS. This means not only is the car longer, lower and wider but it is now driven by the rear wheels. The hole of the FCEV powertrain has been revised and upgraded to deliver more performance thanks to a boost in power from 151 horsepower to 182. Torque drops from 247 lb.-ft. to 221 however, the driving experience is very different.

The new RWD layout has enabled weight distribution to be perfectly split front to back and allowed for increased hydrogen storage. The XLE’s 402 miles of range represents an increase of 30% over the outgoing model. The 2021 Mirai’s lithium-ion battery, located between the rear seat and the trunk, is smaller and lighter. There are three 10,000-psi carbon-fiber-reinforced high-pressure tanks: one mounted longitudinally in the center of the car; another mounted transversely under the rear seat, and a third below the battery. Altogether, they hold about 11 lbs of hydrogen.

On the road, Toyota says the Mirai rides like a luxury sedan. The amount of features and technologies onboard say the same. Standard in the car are an 8-inch driver display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The XLE includes SoftTex upholstery, heated, power-adjustable front seats. The Limited gains perforated SoftTex-trimmed heated and ventilated front and rear seats. The Limited interior is available in dramatic two-tone color schemes.