Electric cars are often dismissed as boring, underperforming, and only enjoyable for the most eco-friendly individuals among us. Electric cars in the past came with awkward designs, questionable handling, and less-than-stellar performance compared to their traditional counterparts. The Toyota Mirai has changed the game for electric cars in 2021, offering a modern and attractive design and plenty of unique features that make this car demand your attention. 

The 2021 Toyota Mirai’s look

Electric cars have made major headway in the past few years, but many electric models remain unpopular due to their lack of a familiar look and feel. The 2020 Toyota Mirai, for example, had an over-the-top grille and unattractive boxy shape, mostly thanks to its front-wheel drive and a large power plant. These types of aesthetics have plagued electric cars since their development. The 2021 Mirai, however, changes everything we know about the look of electric cars, looking more like a slightly sportier Camry.

Right off the bat, the 2021 Mirai looks athletic and slick on the outside, with a smaller, more modern grille and narrow headlights. A reduced power center provides more room for passengers, allowing up to five instead of four, compared to the 2020 Mirai. The interior has a polished look, and it features audio and climate control (plus heated seats) for the front and rear passengers. 

For the 2021 model, Toyota offers five distinct colors of Hydro Blue, Oxygen White, Heavy Metal, Black, and Supersonic Red. All the color options look fantastic on this car, though Supersonic Red and Hydro Blue command the most attention. 

How does the 2021 Toyota Mirai perform?

Electric cars are notorious for underperforming, but the 2021 Mirai makes people question everything they thought they knew about electric car performances. The 2021 Mirai can produce 182 hp through its electric motor, which is located in the back of the car instead of the front. Toyota claims that it takes 9.1 seconds for the 2021 Mirai to go from 0 to 60 MPH, but the experts at Car and Driver believe it feels “a bit perkier than that when driving around town.”

According to MotorTrend, this car is a delight to drive, and it feels smooth no matter what type of road you are driving on. They claim that it is easy to forget you are driving a fuel cell car, as its acceleration and handling are similar to other, non-electric sedans.

Is it actually efficient?

The Toyota Mirai is one of the few hydrogen-powered cars on the market, aside from the Hyundai Nexo and Honda Clarity. Toyota offers other eco-friendly models, like the RAV4 Hybrid or the all-electric Prius, but they are not quite as unique as the Mirai. These vehicles create power through chemical reactions of oxygen and compressed hydrogen, leaving water behind as its byproduct. The 2021 Toyota Mirai can hold up to 5.6kg of hydrogen.

According to Consumer Reports, hydrogen costs between $13 to $17 per kg, and drivers can expect to get about 400 miles before refueling. This is about a 30 percent improvement over the 2020 model. This may seem like a costly way to fuel a car, but as a major incentive, all 2021 Toyota Mirai come with a credit of up to $15,000 worth of hydrogen.

Hydrogen-reliant cars like the Mirai can be refueled in about five minutes, as opposed to other electric models that need hours of charging. This makes it a more feasible option for people who live in apartments and cannot install their own charging ports or for people who simply do not want the hassle of waiting long bouts for their car to charge. 

The bottom line

The 2021 Toyota Mirai sets a new standard for how an electric car should look and perform, and it deserves your attention whether you live in California and can access one or not.