No, the first Toyota Mirai was not a feast for the eyes. You didn't know what bothered you more, those massive, triangular outer cooling fins at the front or the pompously widened mudguards at the rear. Both problem areas are now significantly improved, the front one by closing the outer grills, the rear one by simply leaving them out.

You may easily add 10,000 euros for extras, but now you can even benefit from the promotional government bonus. Production is to start in Japan this year and the annual limit is set at 30,000 piece raised. Now the basic version of the Mirai is considerably cheaper than the Hyundai Nexo, which is however better equipped.

But in terms of range it is still superior by 100 km, at least according to both factory specifications. Toyota advertises with 30 percent more for the Generation 2 of the Mirai, whereas we are talking about 500 km for the Generation 1. Even with larger batteries, electric cars can hardly keep up with this, let alone with the time it takes to refuel or recharge.

However, the target for the hydrogen station network this year is again 100 for Germany alone, but it is currently 84. If you look abroad, there is tabula rasa, except perhaps a little bit in the Netherlands. In USA, too, the Mirai is sold exclusively in California due to a lack of hydrogen stations.

If you take the prices into account, it is for 100 km much higher than with Diesel or even petrol, counted with a more realistic consumption of 1 kg/100 km. But you are still doing something for the environment when you buy such a vehicle, even though there is probably not yet enough green hydrogen available. After all, very large, electrically powered transport vehicles are hardly conceivable without this technology.