Toyota Mirai saloon - MPG, running costs & CO2 (2015-2020)

There’s no doubt that the Toyota Mirai will be cheap to run – about half the cost of a diesel car, says Toyota – but it’s a little difficult to make direct comparisons between hydrogen and more conventional power sources. Plus, there’s the issue of extremely limited refueling infrastructure – it doesn’t matter how cheap hydrogen is or how efficiently the Mirai uses it if there’s nowhere on your route to fill up!

Toyota Mirai MPG & CO2

It’s estimated the Mirai returns roughly the equivalent of 60mpg fuel economy – but hydrogen is cheaper than petrol or diesel, so it won’t cost as much to fill up. Toyota says the car will use about 750g of hydrogen every 60 miles or so. With a 5kg fuel-tank capacity, it should go for around 300 miles before needing refuelling. Toyota has built in a series of safeguards to prevent mishaps when refuelling with hydrogen, such as driving off with the nozzle still attached.

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The most significant advantage of hydrogen-fuelled cars is that they produce zero CO2 emissions, so under the current rules, the Mirai is free to tax and escapes the London Congestion Charge. The only thing the Mirai puts out is harmless water vapour, formed when the hydrogen binds with oxygen to generate electricity.

Insurance group

There’s no official insurance grouping for the Mirai available yet – but its high list price suggests insurance cover will be pricey.

Warranty

Despite its highly advanced and new-fangled technology, the Mirai comes with the same five-year/100,000-mile warranty as any other new Toyota – a clear statement of confidence by the brand in the car.

Servicing

If you buy a Mirai on Toyota’s four-year/£750-a-month lease plan, then the cost of all regular servicing and maintenance is included in your monthly payment.