2021 Toyota Mirai Review

If you believe that there are multiple timelines, and in each there exists an alternative universe to this one, then perhaps in one of those timelines using hydrogen to power an electric motor is as commonplace as gasoline engines are here. For us, the 2021 Toyota Mirai is sci-fi stuff — a car that uses compressed hydrogen gas to create electricity and emit only water as you drive quietly to your destination. It feels like an escapee from one of those alternate universes where hydrogen stations are commonplace and the landscapes are well watered by automotive emissions.

While the first-generation Mirai was an interesting — albeit quirky-looking — front-wheel-drive sedan, the redesigned Mirai features rear-wheel-drive underpinnings and a stylish new exterior. The cabin undergoes a thorough rethink as well, with luxurious materials throughout and seating for five.

The Mirai may pack a lab's worth of chemistry under its hood, but it doesn't drive like an experiment. Since the wheels are driven by an electric motor, the Mirai feels like any other EV. Hitting the accelerator delivers immediate and adequate forward momentum, but nothing that's going to put a dent in the faux leather headrest. There's also no noticeable transition from when the battery power gives way to fuel-cell cruising. Fully fueled with hydrogen, the Mirai can travel up to an EPA-estimated 402 miles. That easily outclasses most battery electric vehicles on the market. Refueling with hydrogen is much quicker than recharging too.

However, it's lonely to be outside your timeline. The Mirai, along with the Honda Clarity and Hyundai Nexo, can only be fueled at hydrogen fueling stations, which are few and far between. (At the time of our review's publication there were just 49 public stations in California and one in Oahu, Hawaii.) Unless these three automakers can lobby operators to increase the number of accessible fueling stations, the Mirai's universe, even with its 400-mile range, is a rather small one.

The 2021 Toyota Mirai is a rear-wheel-drive midsize sedan sold in two trim levels: XLE and Limited. It is one of the few hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles on the market. Hydrogen is stored in three onboard carbon fiber-reinforced tanks that can hold a combined 5.6 kg of the gas. The hydrogen is then converted to electricity via a fuel cell, stored in a small battery and run through an electric motor making 182 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. With its tanks full, the EPA estimates the XLE can go about 402 miles before you refuel, while the Limited can travel up to 357 miles.