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Rear wheel drive, 50:50 weight distribution and new “Mirai” with greatly improved racing performance
The opportunity has come to test the new “MIRAI”, the professional type of which was showcased at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Show. The basic design was showcased at the previous auto show, and although there were rumors that the next Lexus “LS” was an FCV (fuel cell vehicle), it was decided that it would appear as the next Mirai model.
The current Mirai, which debuted in 2014, has an FF design and a unique design with a high overall height, but the next Mirai has a short and elegant design with the FC stack in the front and the motor in the rear wheels, GA – for FR It is slated to debut as a Toyota high-end sedan with an overall length of 4975mm based on the L platform.
The design is not similar to that of FCV, but it is elegant that it is made up of faces and lines that flow from front to back while being based on Toyota’s eagle mask so that it can be selected by design, people who are not interested in automobiles. However, the first impression is good because I aimed for a design that makes me think it’s cool.
The test drive of the new Mirai prototype is at the Fuji Speedway short circuit. The more you choose the circuit for the first test drive, the more emphasis will be placed on driving performance.
The powertrain design is an efficient design with an FC stack in the hood, a T-shaped hydrogen tank under the center tunnel and rear seats, and a third hydrogen tank behind. The traction motor is mounted on the rear wheels and the weight distribution between the front and the rear can be 50:50, which has a great impact on handling.
The environmental potential of hydrogen energy is high and is expected to have a significant impact on the goal set by the Kan Cabinet to be carbon neutral by 2050. Until now, many automakers have focused on hydrogen energy and They have challenged it, but no major results have been achieved. The current Mirai is also a worthy person who paved the way for FCV, but the number of units sold was limited. Among them, the next model is an ambitious work aimed at popularization at once, and the cruising range has improved by 30% to 850 km. The price also points to a realistic number.
Germany has recently turned its attention to clean hydrogen energy again, and the advent of a hydrogen society is not a dream if infrastructure development progresses.
Today hydrogen is portable and can be broken down into water and electricity by causing a chemical reaction with oxygen and electricity is generated. It works like an electric car, but it doesn’t require a lot of heavy batteries. Also, it doesn’t take a long time to fill hydrogen for fuel like electricity, and even if it’s full, it can be done in about 3 minutes with the new Mirai, so it will be convenient if you go mainstream.
Mr. Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer who talks about the handling of the new Mirai
Test the prototype of the new Mirai on the circuit
Since it is a prototype before the official announcement, the test drive was done in a closed short circuit. The 20 inch large diameter tire is Falken “Azenis” and the size is 245/45 ZR20. The wheel design appears to have come out of the design sketch.
The other grade is 19 inches and the size is 235/55 R19. This is Dunlop’s “Sports Max”. The 19-inch eel also looks good with a design that emphasizes the large diameter size.
20 inch model driving scene
19 inch model driving scene
Get started with 20 inch glass sunroof specs without much prior knowledge. The cabin with a large green area will brighten your feelings. In the driver’s interface, those who have successfully deviated from other models are organized for Mirai, and drivers who are used to Toyota cars should be able to perform various operations immediately.
FCV does not require any special ritual to perform. Just flip the starter switch on the dash and set the selector to D to get started strong like an EV. The throttle pedal controllability is good too, and it can start slowly, which is suitable for the vehicle, and it can also start with a tight start like an EV. It starts to work quietly, but the world where you can’t hear the extra noise makes you imagine the future. Since EV emits almost no extra vibrations or noise, road noise is striking on the contrary, but acoustic insulation is taken into account to achieve a quiet space. There is no sound of turning the air compressor that can be heard on the current Mirai.
The steering feel is heavy and heavy, which is adequate for the 1950kg weight (sunroof spec), but while running, I found the exercise performance to be surprisingly good. I learned that Mirai was actually a driver’s car, which was completely different from the chauffeur-driven motion that I had originally envisioned. Clear the corners with a stable posture that suppresses the roll. It’s quite sporty to turn just by turning the wheel. There’s no question that front-to-rear 50:50 weight distribution has a major influence on handling.
Interior of the new Mirai
The tread is 1610mm at the front and 1605mm at the rear, which is a reasonable size for a total width of 1885mm. Even if you run hard, the tires will stretch well and there will be enough capacity for the load.
The suspension has a strange geometry and the pitch is well suppressed, and it is physically small because the center of gravity is in the center. When it comes to roll, the legacy Lexus “LC” suspension shows great stiffness and the amount of roll doesn’t change quickly, so you can grab the steering with confidence.
As a result, Mirai has excellent tracking of the steering operation and doubles casually. There is no additional movement in the car, but it is a mysterious feeling with a sense of stability and security rather than irritability.
Even when steering is increased in tight corners, the chassis is deep and bends more. It’s a heavy car so it doesn’t feel like a light sports car flitting around corners, but it does make you feel sports car DNA even at its heavy weight. The effect of weight distribution between the front and rear and the position of the center of gravity is also excellent.
New Mirai that also got excellent straightness
Stability in a straight line at high speed is also one of the attractions. Although it works steadily, the steering response from a straight-line state like a slightly faster lane change has a little lag, but is not responsive, so the driver seems to be able to relax and drive. The stability provided by the 2920mm long wheelbase and lane change stability are excellent.
The rear seats have a sunroof roof to ensure headroom. It’s a bit blocky, but it’s more natural with the version without a sunroof. None of them have the liberating feel of a limousine, but they are necessary and sufficient for a floating roof sedan.
By the way, the ride was comfortable on the circuit road surface, where fine up and down vibrations tend to cut through. Also, as mentioned above, the powertrain system is quiet and wind noise cuts out well even at high speeds, making it extremely quiet.
The basic character of the 19-inch and 20-inch models is the same, but the 19-inch has a slightly different steering response feel and a slight lag, but it is still a sports car for the driver. Grip-wise, the 20-inch feels like it’s gripping the road surface, but the 19-inch makes the car roll a bit lighter.
It was finished as a car which made me want to get this driver’s car out on public roads early and run it in various situations. Also, due to the nature of the FCV, there is also a chauffeured spec that considers how to use it as a public car, but the front seat seems to be more fun.
The cruising distance that reached 850km, and the price …
The cruising range is 850 km in WLTC mode. If you can run that much, the radius of action will expand considerably and you can go between Tokyo and Osaka without filling. Given that the current Mirai is 630km, the 220km extension is a cruising distance extension worth pushing those hesitant to buy.
I’m impressed that the new Mirai is packed with new technologies that the current Mirai couldn’t do. For example, air-cooled oil is used to cool the engine. Typically a cooling fan is attached, but the streamlined shape of the air chamber containing the oil cooler located at the bottom of the rear is designed to create negative pressure, and the cooling air is drawn in from the that looks like an exhaust port. It is an excellent system that does not make noise.
Furthermore, FCV has zero emissions, but also has negative emissions that removes chemicals and PM2.5 by passing the aspirated air through a special filter. The more you run, the cleaner the air.
By the way, you have to wait until the official announcement of the price you are interested in, but you can reduce the cost by greatly improving productivity along with the evolution of the hydrogen tank and FC battery (for example, FC battery that used to take more than 10 minutes ) The cell production process took only a few seconds at a time), and it was finally recognized that a large-scale mass production system had begun.
The price also says: “At least it won’t be higher than the current Mirai.” It is expected to be around 5 million yen if the subsidy is used, and it has become quite a realistic price for an L-class sedan that is fully equipped with advanced safety technology, such as an enhanced pedestrian detection function.
On this basis, Toyota’s fuel cell strategy has started in the new Mirai FC cell, and it will also be used in large commercial vehicles. If hydrogen consumption increases like commercial vehicles, it will bring a virtuous cycle to the expansion of hydrogen stations and operating hours, which are still scarce, and it will be a user-friendly environment for FCVs.
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