Why Hydrogen Here but Electric Over There???
After years of investments and flops, automakers are still trying to make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles happen. No one has remained more enthusiastically committed to this space than Toyota. Rather than debut and sell its first Lexus battery-electric vehicle, the Lexus UX300e, in the United States, Toyota is saving that for Europe and Asia while it devises a plan to bring in a second-generation Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Featuring a rear-wheel-drive layout and overall exquisitely modern and elegant package, this vehicle could be the key to making hydrogen sexy.
Toyota is Pro-hydro
Toyota is a leader in industry-wide tech advancements. The automaker even pushed electrification since launching the Prius hybrid way back in 1997. Toyota also strongly believes in hydrogen fuel cell tech since the late '90s. Then the company introduced its first-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the Mirai, in 2014. Although slow to gain traction in the U.S. thus far, the automaker remains committed to, and doubled down on, pushing hydrogen. At the front of this movement is the completely redesigned second-gen Toyota Mirai reimagined as a sleek and luxurious sedan.
But Also Lexus UX300e
In addition to the Toyota Mirai, Toyota debuted a more "conventional" battery-electric vehicle in China last year, the UX300e. Unfortunately for Lexus, the UX300e reveal happened the same weekend as the Tesla Cybertruck unveiling which stole the thunder from the new crossover. Sadly, the UX300e also fell beneath layers of confused hype over the new hydrogen-powered Mirai. However, the existence of the UX300e is significant nonetheless with a reported 250-mile range and a 4.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The electric motor is good for 201 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.
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Not for U.S.
Despite the delayed charging station infrastructure development in the U.S., electric accessibility has increased far quicker than hydrogen refueling. For all intents and purposes, the UX300e is one of the most standard battery-powered EV vehicles that are currently being offered. The UX300e design is simply an electric version of the gasoline-powered UX crossover. Oddly, the EV UX300e will not be sold in the U.S.which to many potential buyers is very puzzling. For now, unfortunately, the UX300e is only destined for China, Europe, and Japan.
>>Join the conversation about this Toyota moving forward with alternative powerplants into right here in the ClubLexus forum.
But, Hydrogen?
What is destined for U.S. roads is the aforementioned redesigned Mirai. Toyota says it's committed to hydrogen fuel cell technology citing its scalability as a means to offer adjustable powertrain options going forward. The Mirai's water-producing powertrain generates its own electricity with a targeted 30-percent increase in range thanks to improvements in fuel cell system performance and increased hydrogen storage capacity. The biggest bonus to those with tight schedules? Refueling of the Mirai takes less than five whole minutes. The only missing stat at this point if there has been no mention of potential power figures yet.
>>Join the conversation about this Toyota moving forward with alternative powerplants into right here in the ClubLexus forum.
Electric's new Standard
The overall design of the Toyota Mirai is well executed on both sides of the board. Inside, there is a standard Toyota Premium Multimedia system that sits across from the dash. The center stack features a 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT touchscreen with navigation and control over a 14-speaker JBL sound system. Consumers would be hard-pressed to realize the Mirai was powered by an alternative fuel source just by its striking looks. Critics of hydrogen are not optimistic about the outlook of its application in mass production cars but Toyota continues to reiterate its commitment. With an already strong and reliable presence in the electrified space, the brand's investment in hydro tech is further emphasis on Toyota's dedication to a greener future. After all, why concentrate only on one form of fuel when the betterment of the world is at stake?
>>Join the conversation about this Toyota moving forward with alternative powerplants into right here in the ClubLexus forum.
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