Toyota goes Back to the Future with a Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox reunion

By Miles Branman October 15, 2015

Toyota has reunited Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd for a special Back to the Future-themed video, in honor of the 30^th anniversary of the film, and the launch of Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

This is just a teaser and the full video will go live on Oct. 21, 2015, the date the Mirai goes on sale. That also happens to be the date where Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) travel to in Back to the Future Part II. The teaser doesn’t really show it, but the full video will promote the Mirai and it’s “futuristic” technology.

In the video, Fox and Lloyd chat about what technologies the film series assumed would be realities and what are actually realities today.

In a statement, Fox said “Over the years we’ve had a lot of fun predicting which Back to the Future fictional 2015 technology would arrive by the real year. Now that we’re a week away, I think fans are going to have a good time with what Toyota sees as a true possibility for transportation. It’s actually really cool.”

Toyota also plans to reveal a recreation of the Tacoma that Marty McFly drove in the movies.

As a quick refresher, the Toyota Mirai will initially be sold just in California, where there’s infrastructure for hydrogen fueling, and it will have a range of about 300 miles. Refueling should take just five minutes and all fuel is included in the purchase of the vehicle for the first three years.

To further put owners at ease, Toyota is offering an eight-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and after tax incentives, the Mirai will cost just about $45,000 (it will retail for $58,325 from the factory).

Though fuel will be free at first, places to fill-up will be limited to about 20 locations in all of California. That’s far less than all the available electric charging stations, though a five-minute refill is significantly faster than an 80-percent recharge of even the quickest electric systems, which take about 30 minutes.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…

Cars

You’ll soon be able to watch YouTube videos in your Android Automotive car

Android Auto in a car.

Google is making a bigger play for the in-car infotainment system. At Google I/O 2023, the company took the wraps off of a series of improvements to both Android Auto and Android Automotive, allowing those who want Google-based services in their car to get more features and better account integration.

As a reminder, the two systems may have a similar (almost identical?) name, but are actually quite different. Android Auto essentially just projects content from your phone, whether through a wireless or wired connection. It's Google's answer to Apple's CarPlay, and doesn't work without your phone. Android Automotive, however, is a version of Android that runs in the car itself, as the car's main infotainment system. It works whether you have a connected phone or not. Collectively, Google refers to the systems as Android for Cars -- yes, yet another name.

Cars

Are EVs safe? From battery fires to autopilot, here are the facts

Lucid Air electric car

While many people will be primarily concerned with EV range before buying their first electric vehicle, others are a little nervous about having a giant lithium-ion battery strapped to their car's undercarriage. Those things can catch fire -- just ask Chevy Bolt owners. But how much of a real danger is that? And should it prevent you from buying an EV?
What safety features do EV batteries have?
The major safety issue with lithium-ion batteries is their temperature. If they get too hot, they're prone to igniting. If they get too cold, they freeze and permanently stop working. Charge and discharge rates need to be carefully regulated too, or you'll get electrical fires. Over time, small imperfections in a battery's structure can lead to short circuits and reduced lifetime.

EVs have what are called battery management systems (BMS) to keep tabs on all of these variables. The BMS will generate warnings when needed and intervene directly by cutting off power if things get out of hand. EV battery packs also have thermal management systems. Typically, this is a closed loop of liquid coolant flowing alongside the battery cells, but air cooling and welding battery cells directly to the car chassis are also means of mitigating extreme heat.
How well do EVs handle a crash?
Since there's no engine at the front of an EV, the hood typically houses a frunk -- meaning a front trunk. This acts as a large crumple zone in the case of a head-on accident. One crash in Germany avoided casualties thanks to this inherent characteristic of electric vehicles. Crash tests bear this out. Popular EVs like the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Nissan Leaf have all received overall five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Cars

The locations of over 2 million Toyota cars were exposed for 10 years

Ever get the sense that you're being tracked? Well, if you're a Toyota driver, you may have been. Toyota has disclosed in a statement that the locations of 2,150,000 of its customers were at risk of breach between November 6, 20i3, and April 17, 2023.

Information that was at risk specifically included the vehicle GPS and navigation terminal ID number, the chassis number, and the location of the vehicle with time data. This information is related to Toyota's cloud-based Connected service, which is used to remind owners to get maintenance done, stream entertainment in the car, and help find owners during emergency situations. Users who used services like Toyota Connected, G-Link, and G-Book were potentially affected.