Toyota Plans Commercial Release Of Hydrogen Fueled Mirai This Fall

Toyota announced the Mirai will be available for purchase in the U.S. this fall.

Alternative fuel-loving consumers received a bit of good news Monday during Toyota’s CES press conference. The company plans to offer its hydrogen fueled vehicle – Mirai – for consumer purchase this fall.

Officials with Toyota say the Mirai, which can travel up to 300 miles on one charge, is the gateway for the hydrogen society of the future.

“Hydrogen, and hydrogen fuel cell technology will be an environmental game-changer,” Bob Carter, Toyota senior vice president of sales said during the media event. “We believe that hydrogen electricity will be the primary rule for the next 100 years.”

Toyota’s announcement of the upcoming availability of the vehicle comes about year after the company first announced the hydrogen-powered car’s existence.

Officials say that about 700 Mirai vehicles will be produced in 2015 increasing to tens of thousands in 2020, when the initial roll-out is expected to be complete.

In addition to traveling 300 miles on a single charge, the Mirai can be fully charged in three to five minutes and accelerates from zero to 60 in about nine seconds, Toyota says.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the vehicle is its ability to power other things. Carter says that in the event of an emergency the Mirai can be used to power all essential household electronics for about a week. He demonstrated the car’s electrical power by cheekily saving the press conference from a power outage.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist