History repeats itself. In 2000, Toyota was the first brand to introduce an electrified vehicle on the Portuguese market — the Toyota Prius — and two decades later it has repeated the feat: it will be the first brand to market a fuel cell model — known as fuel cell. A technology that, in this case, uses hydrogen as a fuel.
The model that will inaugurate the chapter of the «hydrogen society» in Portugal will be the new Toyota Mirai 2020 . It is the 2nd generation of Toyota's first hydrogen-powered production model, which was unveiled last year at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Confirm in this video, the first information about the new Toyota Mirai:
Regarding the power of the electric motor of the new Toyota Mirai, the Japanese brand has yet to reveal any value. As a matter of fact, with regard to technical specifications, information is still very scarce. We know that in this generation fuel cell efficiency has increased by 30% and that traction is now provided to the rear wheels.
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The Toyota Mirai in Portugal
Unlike the first generation, the new Toyota Mirai will be marketed in Portugal. Speaking to Razão Automóvel, officials from Salvador Caetano — a historic Toyota importer in Portugal — confirmed the arrival of the Toyota Mirai in our country this year.
In this first phase, Portugal will have two hydrogen filling stations: one in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, and another in Lisbon.
Moreover, it is important to remember that in the hydrogen mobility chapter, Salvador Caetano is present on several fronts. Not only through the Toyota Mirai, but also through Caetano Bus, which is developing a hydrogen-powered bus.
If we want to extend Salvador Caetano's efforts even further, we can mention other brands that are under the tutelage of this company in Portugal: Honda and Hyundai, which also market hydrogen powered cars in other countries, and which may soon also do so in Portugal . One of them, we've even tested, the Hyundai Nexo — a test you can review in this article.