The Mirai hydrogen fuel cell family is more likely to get a new offspring just in time for the 2020 Olympics scheduled to be hosted in Tokyo according to recent reports. The new model will be less expensive and smaller in size claims the Asahi Shimbun. The alternative fuel cell car is rumoured to hit the showrooms after the next three years. Toyota is expected to ask for a price of 5.5 million to 6.0 million yen said the report.
Comparing it to the existing generation Mirai which is being offered for a starting price tag of 7.23 million yen, but the perks of having hydrogen fuel cell technology meant that the government relaxations and subsidies has drastically lowered down the costs to just over 5 million yen. If the Japanese volume car manufacturer acts clever in meeting the government’s regulations further, the upcoming FCEV may be priced at around $ 32,000 with all the incentives applied.
The yet un-christened model could bear a name like Mirai C which is in-line with the Prius C born out of the standard Prius model. Toyota could speed the production process and reduce the manufacturing costs by installing latest automation machinery as some phases in the creation of the existing Mirai require manual labour.
This report is in complete contrast with the earlier speculations that the lack of hydrogen infrastructure could slow down the growth of the Mirai family. Furthermore, the latest news went on to say the launch of a second FCEV won’t take long to come by either from Toyota, one of the main Olympic sponsors.
The cheaper Mirai has come at a right time as the Japanese national authorities look to project Tokyo as an advanced metropolis during the Olympics by having 100 hydrogen-fueled buses, 6,000 FCEVs and 1,000 H2 passenger cars right in time for the opening ceremony. As the country’s leading manufacturer, Toyota will be bringing up new initiatives ahead of the Olympics and want to be on top of its game in its home country.
Toyota Mirai Image Gallery
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