Adding to the reasons for the low price are legal issues. In June 2023, Toyota Motor Corporation was sued in the United States District Court for the Central District of California over alleged defects in the Mirai’s hydrogen fuel cell system. Plaintiffs claim that the system can experience sudden power losses, posing safety risks. They allege that Toyota was aware of these issues but failed to disclose them to consumers. The lawsuit, represented by Jason M. Ingber of the Ingber Law Group, seeks compensation for damages, including vehicle costs, repairs, and refunds, as well as an injunction to address the defects.
Toyota has denied the allegations, stating that the Toyota Mirai meets all safety and performance standards and that any issues are isolated incidents. The company is vigorously defending itself and remains committed to supporting its customers. As of June 2024, the lawsuit is ongoing, with both parties engaged in pre-trial activities.
To make the deal even more enticing, Toyota is offering zero percent financing for 72 months on top of the massive price reduction. For the base XLE trim, Toyota has cut $25,000 from the original $50,190 price tag. This cash incentive can also be combined with zero percent APR on the entry-level Mirai.
Additionally, Toyota is offering $15,000 worth of hydrogen fuel for six years. This means that a Mirai Limited buyer can save up to $48,000. Combining the cash incentive and complimentary fuel, a Mirai XLE buyer can save $37,000.
How bad are sales? There’s no sugarcoating it—they’re dreadful. Through June, Toyota sold only 245 cars in the United States, an 85.8 percent drop compared to the first six months of 2022. In the last month alone, only 20 vehicles were sold. Despite sluggish sales, Toyota has pledged its long-term commitment to hydrogen technology in an email sent to Motor1 several months ago.
Although the Toyota Mirai is only available in California, Toyota is not the only Japanese brand offering a hydrogen car in the United States. Honda has recently launched the CR-V e as a plug-in hybrid, featuring a rechargeable battery pack. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Hyundai Nexo Fuel Cell is still available. Among these, only the CR-V e is built in the US.
Elsewhere, BMW will decide later this year whether to produce a hydrogen car. If approved, it will go on sale before the end of the decade, paving the way for more models planned to arrive in the 2030s.
