The Toyota Mirai: A Serene and Sophisticated Driving Experience

As I sit behind the wheel of my Toyota Mirai, I must admit that it's not the most exciting car to own. In fact, I've come to realize that cars are a lot like fashion - they're only fashionable for a certain amount of time before you have to move on to something new. The Mirai is no exception, and while it's certainly a beautiful car, its 152 horsepower may not exactly set hearts racing.

However, I do believe that the Mirai offers a unique driving experience that's hard to find elsewhere. It's serene, with an excellent ride that makes you feel like you're gliding over the road. The car is also very well made, and it's clear that Toyota has put a lot of attention to detail into its design and construction. But what really sets the Mirai apart is its politeness - it's just a very agreeable experience being in the car.

Unfortunately, there are some significant drawbacks to owning a Mirai. One of the biggest challenges is finding hydrogen fueling stations. When I first got my car, there were only eight hydrogen stations in the entire UK - yes, you read that right, the whole country! And even today, with 11 stations available, it's still quite difficult to use the Mirai as your only everyday car. In contrast, Germany has hundreds of hydrogen stations, making it a much more practical choice for those looking to own an eco-friendly vehicle.

As I drive around in my Mirai, I'm acutely aware of its limitations when it comes to hydrogen availability. It's not exactly easy to find a place to refuel, and that can be a bit frustrating at times. But despite these challenges, I've grown quite fond of the car, and I think it's an excellent choice for anyone looking for a unique driving experience.

So how does the Mirai work? In short, it's still an electric car - but instead of a battery, it uses a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity. The process is simple: you pump pressurized hydrogen into the tank, which is then combined with oxygen from the air in the fuel cell to produce electricity. This electricity powers the electric motor, which drives the car. It's an ingenious system that's both efficient and environmentally friendly.

One of the things I love about the Mirai is its sophisticated design. The car has a touch screen for satnav and audio, but the important information about what the car is doing is displayed on smaller screens up front. You navigate these with buttons on the steering wheel, which can take some getting used to. But once you've mastered it, you'll find that it's incredibly easy to use.

As I drive around in my Mirai, I'm struck by its refinement and sophistication. It's a bit like driving a Bentley Continental GT - it's big on brain, but not necessarily on brawn. The car's systems are complex and sophisticated, and it's clear that Toyota has put a lot of thought into designing an efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle.

Despite its limitations when it comes to hydrogen availability, I've found the Mirai to be an incredibly enjoyable car to drive. It's an exercise in trepidation and extreme brinksmanship, as you navigate the complexities of fueling up and managing your energy levels. But that's also part of the fun - it's a challenge that requires attention and care.

As I look around at the road ahead, I'm reminded of the importance of innovation and forward thinking. The Mirai is a pioneering vehicle that's pushing the boundaries of what's possible in terms of eco-friendly transportation. And while there are certainly challenges to be addressed, I believe that Toyota has taken a bold step in creating a car that's not only environmentally friendly but also incredibly enjoyable to drive.

For now, I'm happy to continue driving my Mirai - even if it does mean relying on the kindness of strangers for fueling up. After all, as the saying goes, "you can't pour from an empty cup." And when it comes to owning a car like the Mirai, that's certainly true.

As I get ready to hand over the keys to my Mirai, I'm excited to see what the future holds for this pioneering vehicle. Will there be more hydrogen stations popping up around the UK? Will Toyota continue to innovate and improve the Mirai's efficiency and range? Only time will tell - but one thing's for sure: the Toyota Mirai is a car that's not afraid to push boundaries and challenge conventional thinking.

And so, I'll say goodbye to my trusty old friend - the Toyota Mirai. It's been an honor to own and drive this incredible car, and I have no doubt that it will continue to inspire innovation and progress in the world of eco-friendly transportation. Until next time, stay tuned for more adventures with James!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhello viewers this is my toyota mirai which in many ways i think is the nicest car i've ever owned not the most exciting i want to be very clear about that it only has 152 horsepower but it's serene it's got an excellent ride it's very well made it's polite it's just a very agreeable experience being in the car but i have had it for a while and i do believe that cars are a little bit like fashion you have to move on there are other problems with it to be honest when i first had this car there were eight hydrogen stations in the whole of the uk and i mean the whole of the uk even including the bits that would rather they weren't part of the uk like scotland and wales and south yorkshire and even today there are only 11 hydrogen stations making it very difficult to use this as your only everyday car would be fine in germany they've got hundreds of hydrogen stations so the japanese we haven't we're behind and frankly i'm getting a bit old for that kind of thing so i've decided this will go a toyota mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle this is still an electric car it's still driven by an electric motor but instead of a battery it has a hydrogen fuel cell it has a tank into which you pump pressurized hydrogen from a pump like a petrol diesel car and that hydrogen is combined with oxygen from the air in the fuel cell to generate electricity it generates electricity on demand as you press the pedal for the electric motor and drives the car to drive they are both electric cars you wouldn't know the difference but the philosophy is very different so driving the mirai is an exercise in trepidation and extreme brinksmanship but that's sort of what makes it exciting very sophisticated a little bit like a bentley continental gt actually its brain is bigger than its gob that's a nice quality in people and it's nice in a car as well and the first objection to hydrogen you do have a touch screen here for satnav and audio but all the important information about what the car is actually doing is on the little displays up there you navigate those with the buttons on the steering wheel but it has to be said that your thumb is a great receptor that's what allowed us to progress so much more quickly than dogs and you only have to glance at that display like that and i'm going to replace it with something altogether more exciting so you can look out for that on my next video which is james buys a new motor like comment subscribe hello youhello viewers this is my toyota mirai which in many ways i think is the nicest car i've ever owned not the most exciting i want to be very clear about that it only has 152 horsepower but it's serene it's got an excellent ride it's very well made it's polite it's just a very agreeable experience being in the car but i have had it for a while and i do believe that cars are a little bit like fashion you have to move on there are other problems with it to be honest when i first had this car there were eight hydrogen stations in the whole of the uk and i mean the whole of the uk even including the bits that would rather they weren't part of the uk like scotland and wales and south yorkshire and even today there are only 11 hydrogen stations making it very difficult to use this as your only everyday car would be fine in germany they've got hundreds of hydrogen stations so the japanese we haven't we're behind and frankly i'm getting a bit old for that kind of thing so i've decided this will go a toyota mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle this is still an electric car it's still driven by an electric motor but instead of a battery it has a hydrogen fuel cell it has a tank into which you pump pressurized hydrogen from a pump like a petrol diesel car and that hydrogen is combined with oxygen from the air in the fuel cell to generate electricity it generates electricity on demand as you press the pedal for the electric motor and drives the car to drive they are both electric cars you wouldn't know the difference but the philosophy is very different so driving the mirai is an exercise in trepidation and extreme brinksmanship but that's sort of what makes it exciting very sophisticated a little bit like a bentley continental gt actually its brain is bigger than its gob that's a nice quality in people and it's nice in a car as well and the first objection to hydrogen you do have a touch screen here for satnav and audio but all the important information about what the car is actually doing is on the little displays up there you navigate those with the buttons on the steering wheel but it has to be said that your thumb is a great receptor that's what allowed us to progress so much more quickly than dogs and you only have to glance at that display like that and i'm going to replace it with something altogether more exciting so you can look out for that on my next video which is james buys a new motor like comment subscribe hello you\n"