Toyota shows off hydrogen-powered Mirai at Greenbelt, Makati

MANILA: In case you missed it, Toyota Philippines held its very first Hybrid Electric Vehicle Drive Expo at Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk, Makati. Over the weekend, the company showed off the 2021 Toyota Mirai, a hybrid fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) that runs on hydrogen fuel.

We first caught a glimpse of it at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show last October. Toyota gave us a closer look of its hybrid sedan at the HEV Drive Expo last November 22 to November 24, 2019.

The upcoming model is based on Toyota’s New Global Architecture which brings improvements to its design and performance. It features a bold grille, sloping coupé-like roofline, a more rigid body, lower center of gravity, and rear-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, a cross-section view of Toyota Mirai reveals a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster, and a busy center stack where most of the controls are found. All in all, it’s far better looking than the first generation Mirai.

Hybrids are not new to Toyota Motors Philippines. The Japanese automaker already has a few models available locally. These include the Toyota Prius, Prius C, and the recently launched 2020 Corolla Altis Hybrid, which were also shown off at last weekend’s expo.

That being said, the 2021 Toyota Mirai will be the first hybrid option for Filipino buyers, which combines hydrogen fuel cell technology with an electric motor. This enables the vehicle to reach a maximum power output of 153 horsepower and a maximum range of 500 kilometers.

Before you get too excited, the second generation Mirai is still what Toyota describes as “a final-stage development model,” so there isn’t any news as to when it will launch. Also, it needs to be refueled in hydrogen fueling stations. The Philippines currently has none, so we can’t expect it to arrive here anytime soon.

Toyota released the first generation Mirai in 2014. They may not have been the first automaker to release an FCEV; Honda earned that honor when they launched FCX and FCX Clarity years earlier. However, Toyota was the first to actually sell FCEVs and not just lease them.

Unfortunately, the lack of hydrogen fueling stations is still just as much of a problem and is preventing countries like ours from adopting the eco-friendly alternative.

Also read: Toyota Vios XLE - What’s on Offer