Remember? We gave you a preview of the first images during our visit to the Tokyo Motor Show last year. At the time it was still a concept, and many details had yet to be finalised. Today, the second generation of the Toyota Mirai — one of the two hydrogen cars (the other being the Hyundai Nexo) available on the Italian market as well — is finally on sale from the end of March. There is a wealth of new features, from the new platform that has made it possible to go from the previous four seats to the current five, to a range that has risen to around 650 kilometres, an increase of 30 per cent. And then there is one of the characteristics that makes it most unique: a special filter capable of capturing pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and PM2.5 particulate matter, and of cleaning the air in our cities. We drove it, and here is what the new Mirai left us with.

2014–2021: little remains of the first Mirai

One look is enough to understand the evolution. With a sharp departure from the somewhat ungainly proportions of the first model (that was 2014), the new Mirai is longer (considerably longer, almost 5 metres — decidedly too much for the city), lower and wider. That alone is enough to make it a more desirable "object". Then there is an aspect more closely tied to driving pleasure — yes, driving a hydrogen car does not mean saying goodbye to fun at all, quite the contrary — with the shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, a characteristic shared with sports cars. With the new Mirai, Toyota completes a "magic" circle, effectively offering all the variants (at least those available from a car) of sustainable mobility: from hybrid technology to plug-in, through to fully electric mobility, of which Mirai and cars with hydrogen fuel cell systems are in some ways the ultimate expression. It is no coincidence that Mirai means "future" in Japanese.

Mirai act two: what has changed

Indeed, beneath the "skin" of the new Mirai there is no longer a Prius, but a "revised and updated" version of the Lexus LS saloon. A choice that immediately translates into a more spacious cabin, now suitable for five passengers as well. Lightened in numerous parts, the Mirai now offers a weight distribution of almost 50:50 (those who enjoy driving will know that this is a sign of balance and driving pleasure) and a lower centre of gravity. The wheels are new too, having grown to 19 or 20 inches. In short, from these clues it would very much seem that Toyota has set out to make its hydrogen car not only more attractive, but also sportier and potentially suited to a wider audience (in keeping with the availability of hydrogen… but we will look at that aspect shortly).

More efficiency. More power. And water as the only by-product

The greatest "magic" — virtue — of the Mirai remains the same: combining hydrogen with the oxygen present in the air to produce electric current and water as a waste by-product. Only this time, Toyota has optimised the "recipe": the fuel cell system is now under the bonnet, no longer under the floor as before, where it took up space. In short, the system is more efficient and compact. All of this comes with an increase in power — 182 horsepower, 31 more than before. Thanks to a modified transmission, the engine's torque is now better exploited. And the new lithium-ion battery, which stores the excess electricity coming from the fuel cell and from regenerative braking, is smaller than the old nickel-metal hydride one and has a higher energy density: the voltage rises to 310.8 from the previous 244.8, with a capacity of 6.5 Ah and an output power of 31.5 kW.

More room for hydrogen: how the Mirai's range rises by 30 per cent

The other advantage of the new configuration and the Mirai's rear-wheel drive is that more space has been freed up to store more hydrogen. The tanks have gone from 2 to 3 and are larger: one is mounted longitudinally at the centre of the car, one is positioned transversally under the seat, and one is hidden under the battery. These choices have made it possible to increase the range of the new Mirai by 30 per cent; the declared 650 kilometres (the tanks hold 5.6 kg of hydrogen, compared with 4.6 in the previous model) are comparable to those of the top-performing Tesla Model S.

Greater range means longer journeys. And more enjoyable ones. More manageable, agile through corners. More pleasant and comfortable on the motorway too. And quieter, not only thanks to the new aerodynamics, but also to the more efficient hydrogen management systems.

What to expect on board the Mirai

The interior is as generous as it is rewarding. The infotainment system features a 12.3-inch display, the climate control is dual-zone, and the seats are spacious and heated (the rear ones too, if you wish). If leather upholstery is on the list, the "eco" option is the better choice; the wireless smartphone charger is conveniently placed, and the 4 cameras that assist with manoeuvring are foolproof — the Mirai is quite a long car to park. Among the highlights of the top-of-the-range version (the Essence+, the same one we tested) is an interior rear-view mirror that, rather than reflecting images, uses a camera feed — so even if three basketball players are sitting in the back, visibility remains ideal.

On the road, like an electric car. Better than an electric car

The first thing you notice when driving the new Mirai is the smooth, instant power delivery — exactly like an electric car. Toyota claims 9 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standstill and a top speed of 175 km/h. To put it simply, there is enough power to merge onto a ring road with confidence, or to overtake safely. There is no lag, no noise, just as with electric cars. When you brake, energy is regenerated, as on a "conventional" electric car. And the silence remains one of the most appreciable qualities. The full suite of Adas driver assistance systems rounds out the package.

It is gratifying to know, as mentioned earlier, that while driving the new Mirai, a special filter is at work cleaning the outside air, capturing tiny particles of pollutants (the most dangerous for our lungs, between 0 and 2.5 microns) and helping to improve the air quality in our cities. Toyota estimates that this system is capable of cleaning up to 4,730,400 litres of air every 10,000 kilometres driven — equivalent to the amount of air an adult breathes in a year. A video shows how the system works.

Now for the (critical) matter of refuelling infrastructure

As we explained in a recent article, Italy could easily become a strategic hydrogen hub — potentially the ideal home for cars like the Mirai, or for public transport vehicles. All the more so given that the Ministry of Economic Development has included new projects linked to the sustainable production and transportation of hydrogen in its preliminary guidelines for the national strategy. In the meantime, Italy is no California, where there are as many as 43 hydrogen refuelling stations — the only US state in which the Mirai is on sale.

For now, we must make do with the station in Bolzano and the LIFEalps plan — funded by the European Union's LIFE programme — which over eight years should transform South Tyrol into a model region for zero-emission mobility. Meanwhile, the hydrogen station at San Donato, in the Milan hinterland, finally appears to be nearing completion. And to think that a full tank of hydrogen takes less than 5 minutes — not the hours required by an electric car… Should you be interested, the Mirai starts at 66,000 euros and will go on sale from the end of March.