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Toyota has revealed the second-generation Mirai concept ahead of a public debut at the Tokyo motor show.

 

The concept previews the styling and technology changes for the hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

 

Scheduled for launch in 2020 - initially in Japan, North America and Europe in areas supported by a refuelling infrastructure - Toyota says the new Mirai “will be much more than an eco-car.”

 

In terms of styling, the concept adopts elegant proportions to produce a coupe-like silhouette with 20-inch wheels and a new blue paint finish.

 

On the inside, there’s a 12.3-inch centre display and an instrument panel that wraps around the driver, along with room for five.

 

Toyota is targeting a 30 per cent increase in the Mirai's driving range through improvements to the fuel-cell system and the use of larger on-board hydrogen tanks.

 

The new Mirai will be built on Toyota's latest rear-wheel-drive modular platform, which was engineered to accommodate a hydrogen fuel cell from the outset. It will also be rear-wheel-drive.

 

According to Toyota, the new Mirai will have a higher degree of body rigidity and a lower centre of gravity to deliver “rewarding handling.”

 

Mirai chief engineer Yoshikazu Tanaka 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."

 

Toyota has been a leading player in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The current Mirai was launched in 2014 and has since sold around 10,000 units.

 

In Australia, Toyota is conducting on-road trials of a small fleet of Mirai sedans and establishing a Hydrogen Centre at its former manufacturing site in Altona.