The company has received 1,900 order requests since the online portal went live two months ago. The number represents nearly double the 1,000 units that will be headed to US showrooms for the year.
“The existing order requests are being reviewed, and Toyota will begin placing the first trailblazing customers in the Mirai driver’s seat this month,” the company said in a statement.
The hydrogen-powered sedans will be arriving in customer hands as the refueling infrastructure remains scant. A US Department of Energy website still lists just 12 filling stations in the entire US market. Of the dozen locations available, owners claim some are regularly offline or only filling tanks to half capacity. A quick check of Los Angeles-area stations shows most working for both H35 (5,000 psi max) and H70 (10,000 psi max), however two are online for only H35 and one is ‘limited’ availability.
The Mirai boasts a driving range of 312 miles, however the apparent unreliability of some refueling stations could be a deal-breaker for buyers who might have to drive across arguably the worst traffic-congested US city just to fill their tank at an alternative location.
Toyota’s hydrogen-powered car fetches $57,500 (before government incentives). The company is still accepting order requests, however additional submissions will be put on a waiting list.
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