Why? Well, it’s not an actual Mirai per se. Instead, it’s actually a 1:10 replica of the hydrogen rear-wheel-drive sedan built by Toyota in collaboration with Bramble Energy, a company specialized in hydrogen fuel cell technology and applications. In addition, the UK division of Tamiya, a Japanese manufacturer of radio-controlled cars, was involved in the unique project.

And yes, this is a fully working Mirai, complete with a miniaturized fuel cell. The pair of tiny hydrogen tanks can store enough fuel for as much as 400 miles (644 kilometers) of range, prompting Toyota to say its innovative radio-controlled car has double the range of a conventional RC car powered by batteries. It goes without saying there are no plans to sell it, but rather to showcase the versatility of a fuel cell powertrain and how it can be adapted for various uses.

If you’re wondering how the hydrogen-fueled Mirai RC car came to be, the team behind the project started off with one of Tamiya’s TT-02 RC cars before Bramble Energy converted it to accept a fuel cell setup. A mold had to be built for the 1:10-scale replica of the second-generation Mirai, which was painted in Scarlet Flare red in the same vein as the actual car.

Then it was Bramble Energy’s turn to assemble a downsized configuration of its printed circuit board fuel cell, the two hydrogen tanks, and the control system into the standard four-wheel-drive RC chassis you can buy at local specialized shops. The last step was to install the custom-made body shell on top of the chassis.

According to Toyota, the Mirai hydrogen RC car has about 20 watts of power and offers double the running time of a battery-powered RC car. Interestingly, the dual hydrogen tanks are switchable, meaning they can be easily replaced when you’re out of fuel.

Source: Toyota

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Officials from the Guinness World Records were on scene to verify the second-generation Toyota Miraia adheres to the rules to be eligible for a new record. Before the start of the journey, the three cylindrical tanks storing 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen were sealed. During the record-breaking trip, the rear-wheel-drive sedan logged an impressive 152 MPGe, with water being the only emission.

Behind the wheel of the Mirai was Wayne Gerdes with assistance from co-pilot Bob Winger. The journey began at the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Gardena, California before heading to San Ysidro and then north to Santa Barbara, traveling through Santa Monica and Malibu beach along the Pacific Coast Highway. They headed back to the TTC, registering 473 miles (761 kilometers).

During the second day, the duo covered 372 miles in the morning as well as the afternoon rush hour traffic between Los Angeles and Orange County, on the San Diego freeway. Eventually, the Mirai ran out of hydrogen and coasted into the TTC with a grand total of 845 miles clocked – an unprecedented distance covered by a fuel cell hydrogen EV.

Such a distance is unlikely to be achieved by a battery-powered EV anytime soon as technology still has to catch up. The longest-range battery electric vehicle so far is the Lucid Air, rated by the EPA at 520 miles (837 kilometers) between charges, which is a far cry from what the Mirai was able to cover during its record-setting trip.

Source: Toyota

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The trip kicked off last Wednesday, May 26, at 5:43 in the morning from the HYSETCO hydrogen station in Orly, France where the Mirai embarked on what was about to become a record-breaking trip. The large rear-wheel-drive sedan was able to cover an impressive 1,003 kilometers (623 miles) before its three cylindrical tanks storing a total of 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen were depleted.

During its extended trip, the Mirai averaged a fuel consumption of 0.55 kilograms / 100 kilometers and it was still showing 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) of range left after it arrived at its destination. The distance traveled and the fuel consumption registered during the journey were both certified by an independent authority.

Toyota mentions the Mirai was driven on public roads, specifically in south of Paris and in the Loir-et-Cher and Indre-et-Loire regions. As you can see from the adjacent videos, the car wasn’t exactly pushed to its limits, but the Japanese automaker claims that aside from an “eco-driving” style, no other special techniques were used by the four drivers.

Following its record run, Toyota mentions it refueled the Mirai in less than five minutes from a 700-bar refueling station. This goes to show a hydrogen car not only has a better range than a traditional EV, but it can also be refueled much quicker than any standard electric vehicle on sale today and comparable to a car equipped with a combustion engine.

That being said, hydrogen stations are few and far between around the world and it’s one of the reasons why Toyota is selling the Mirai only in select markets. This record run goes to show fuel cell tech certainly has great potential, but it remains to be seen whether hydrogen cars will take off. BMW is also investing in fuel cells, while Jaguar Land Rover has expressed its commitment to developing the technology.

Source: Toyota

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Starting January 5, Mirai customers can take advantage of a significant $10,000 APR Credit provided they take a loan by accessing Toyota Financial in California. To lure in more buyers into its showrooms, Toyota is offering the zero-emissions large sedan with 0% APR financing for as much as five years. It’s quite rare to see a brand-new car receive a major price cut from basically day one, but it appears Toyota is pulling all the stops to increase the Mirai’s appeal.

Before you get too excited about the prospects of a sweet deal available for the 2021 Mirai, there’s a catch. Cars Direct reports the APR Bonus can’t be had if you’re leasing, which means it’s only available when buying. Leasing Toyota’s eco-friendly family sedan isn’t all that great in terms of incentives as the only offer is $1,750 in factory lease cash, but only on the more expensive Limited variant rather than the base XLE.

Those interested in leasing and willing to see the glass half full will be happy to hear Toyota offers as much as $15,000 in refueling credit. If you plan on doing a lot of miles with your 2021 Mirai during the duration of the lease, it could end up as a good deal even without the $10,000 price cut available only when buying.

At first, the rear-wheel-drive Mirai will only be available in California and promises to offer a maximum EPA-estimated range of 402 miles for the XLE trim or 30% more than its front-wheel-drive predecessor. It also packs more punch than before (182 hp vs 151 hp), although torque has decreased from 247 lb-ft to 221 lb-ft.

It’s longer, wider, and lower than the model it replaces while being able to carry five people as opposed to the previous four. The 2021 Mirai rides on the same GA-L platform as the Lexus LS flagship and has a near 50:50 weight distribution along with a lower center of gravity for better handling.

Source: Cars Direct

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