“The future has arrived, and it’s called Mirai.”
A bold statement from Toyota, made on its website today as the world’s top automaker announced its hydrogen-powered car would be introduced in 2016.
The Mirai — translated to “future” in Japanese — will be capable of traveling up to 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen, according to the company. The vehicle is slated to be available in America in under two years but Toyota officials warned “(its) future won’t become a reality without the hydrogen stations to support it.”
Currently, there are only 13 hydrogen fueling stations in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The company assures drivers they are working on a fix to that issue.
Toyota's announcement follows the release of Hyundai's hydrogen-powered Tucson earlier this year. That vehicle is considered the first fuel cell vehicle to be mass-produced and released in North America.
For more on the big announcement, including a price estimate, see the above video report.
Clint Davis is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
