2021 Toyota Mirai Price Drops Below $50,000, Car Offers Over 400 Miles of Range

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are uncommon, even by electric vehicle (EV) standards. Only three models are on sale in the U.S., and only in California unless you count the handful that are available to residents of Honolulu, Hawaii. Nevertheless, the automakers that build FCEVs for sale to consumers – Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota – are committed to the technology, as is the state of California, which is helping to fund the necessary infrastructure to refuel them.

Photo: Christian Wardlaw

You can learn about how fuel cell vehicles work, but the short story is that they convert compressed hydrogen fuel into electricity to power electric motors, and the only byproducts of the process are heat and water vapor. In fact, FCEVs actually clean the atmosphere as they drive. Unfortunately, current hydrogen fuel reformation processes rely on the use of natural gas but switching to electrolysis powered by wind and solar could eliminate that source of carbon emissions from FCEV ownership.

Toyota is committed to FCEVs, both as a solution for consumers and the trucking industry. Witness the debut of the redesigned 2021 Toyota Mirai, the second-generation example of the company’s FCEV for people like you and me.

I’ve driven the all-new Mirai, and it’s a terrific car. Back seat room and trunk space are tight due to packaging requirements for the three compressed hydrogen fuel tanks, but from behind the wheel the Mirai drives like the futuristic entry-luxury sedan it is. According to Toyota, the reason it’s not a Lexus is because the company wants to democratize FCEV technology. Labeling it as a luxury car would be exclusionary.

Here are some important things to know about the 2021 Toyota Mirai:

• It is priced from $49,500, nearly $10,000 less than the previous Mirai
• The Mirai is eligible for a federal income tax credit as well as other state and local incentives. In California, everyone gets a $1,500 rebate.
• If you’d rather not buy, lease payments start at $499 per month
• Toyota provides $15,000 in free hydrogen fuel to use within three years (six years if you buy one before June 30, 2021)
• Driving range on a full tank of hydrogen is estimated at 402 miles with XLE trim, and 357 miles with Limited trim
• Toyota includes three years or 35,000 miles of scheduled maintenance at no charge
• You can get a carpool-lane sticker for this car, allowing you to shorten your commute without carrying extra people

Additionally, people who buy or lease a Mirai before January 4, 2021, may qualify for 0% APR financing for 72 months or a special lease deal of $339 per month for 36 months with $1,999 due at signing.

The 2021 Mirai is on sale in the San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles, and San Diego regions, where the bulk of hydrogen refueling stations are located. Toyota also sells a handful of Mirais in Hawaii and is the only automaker shipping FCEVs to Honolulu. California is funding a dramatic expansion of hydrogen infrastructure to make owning an FCEV easier than ever.

Toyota is the source of information in this article. It was accurate on December 16, 2020, but it may have changed since that date.

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