The hydrogen-fueled Toyota Mirai may not beat Tesla’s P85D to 60 mph, but if the race is longer than 300 miles, it’ll likely cross the finish line first. Why? The Mirai boasts an estimated driving range of 312 miles according to the EPA, giving it the longest official range of any zero emission vehicle on the market.
With its carbon-fiber reinforced tanks filled to the brim, the Mirai’s distance capabilities surpass that of the Tesla Model S 85D, which offers 270 miles of driving range before stopping at one of Tesla’s Supercharger stations. But unlike pure electric vehicles, the Mirai’s fueling infrastructure is significantly less developed at this point in time.
While Tesla lists over 450 Supercharger locations across the United States and Canada (not to mention the countless wall outlet options), there are only 12 hydrogen stations open to the American public, and 10 of them are in California. That said, dozens more are in development in The Golden State, and Toyota has partnered with industrial gas supplier Air Liquide to build 12 stations across the Northeast United States as well.
There is good news though, because for the first three years, Mirai customers will be able to fill up for free. After that, customers will enjoy an EPA-estimated 67 miles-per-gallon equivalent, hopefully making fuel stops few and far between.
The Mirai finally hits California showrooms this fall, and Toyota has announced that dealerships in San Francisco, Roseville, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Longo, Santa Monica, Orange, and Tustin have been chosen to sell the first wave of production vehicles. Some 3,000 units will be produced for the U.S. between now and 2017, each of which will cost $57,500 before federal incentives.
Starting soon, interested customers will be able to request a Mirai at Toyota.com/Mirai.
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