You're looking at the second-generation version of the clever Toyota Mirai fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV), which the Japanese car giant is planning to display at this month's Tokyo Motor Show.
More than an eco-car
Toyota's aim with the second-gen Mirai is to show that its FCEV can be 'much more than an eco-car'. The company is aiming to make the Mirai Mk2 rewarding to drive and beautiful, the latter of which is something which could never be said about the old car.
However, efficiency is of course still a major priority and so the new Mirai should show a 30 per cent increase in its driving range compared to the old one - some quick, rather ropey maths suggests that as the previous Mirai could do up to 550km on a single tank of hydrogen, the latest version should be able to go around 715km instead.
Shift to RWD
Obviously, this Mirai is much sleeker than its predecessor, with low lines, elegant proportions, neater bodywork and 20-inch alloys. It's a sizeable 4,975mm long and, with a 2,920mm wheelbase, space inside has increased so that it can seat five people instead of the previous Mirai's full complement of four. Additionally, the new FCEV is rear-wheel drive, rather than front-driven, while its body is more rigid than the Mk1's to aid handling.
Additionally, the blue paint on the show car is a special finish with multiple layers for 'exceptional brightness and depth of colour', while inside a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a wrapround instrument cluster for the driver improve the overall ambience.
Toyota has sold 10,000 Mirais worldwide since it was introduced in 2014, so it's an important car for the carmaker. Yoshikazu Tanaka, the Mirai's chief engineer, said: "We have pursued the goal of making a car that customers will feel they want to drive all time, a car that has an emotional and attractive design and the kind of dynamic and responsive performance that can bring a smile to the driver's face. I want customers to say 'I chose the Mirai not just because it's an FCEV, but because I simply wanted this car; it just happens to be an FCEV'.
We will continue our development work focusing on that feeling, and we hope that with the new Mirai we will be a leader in helping realise a hydrogen energy society."