Toyota is planning to introduce a smaller and more affordable Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) before the 2020 Olympics takes place, according to the Asahi Shimbun. It is said that the new Mirai could come as early as 2019 and could be offered in the same vein as the Prius c.
The company stated that a mass-production FCV priced in the range of 5.5 million to six million yen (RM200k-RM219k) will be released that year. As a comparison, the current Mirai costs consumers approximately 7.23 million yen (RM264k). When launched, Toyota is reportedly eyeing global annual sales of over 30,000 units of the more affordable, rumoured to called the Mirai c.
Meanwhile, special components of the current Mirai such as the hydrogen tank and electric generator are the main reasons behind the higher cost. That said, the company is looking to reduce costs by revising said components and manual procedures for FCV production.
A dedicated production line for the Mirai, which the brand is currently looking into, will allow the company to produce the FCV in larger numbers while reducing costs. The Japanese automaker is planning to increase production of its FCV to 30,000 units by 2020, instead of the 2,000 units initially planned in 2016.
With environmental regulations getting more stringent particularly in key markets like the US and China, Toyota is said to be pushing for the standardisation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – to take over from hybrids – so as to position them as the next-generation of environmentally-friendly cars.
So guys, while the Toyota Prius c has gained much popularity, if provided with the proper charging infrastructure, would a Toyota Mirai c be of any interest to you? Share your comments with us below.
GALLERY: Toyota Mirai FCV
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