Toyota Mirai Production Increasing to Meet Demand
Despite its controversial styling, demand for the Toyota Mirai is exceeding the Japanese automaker’s expectations.
The company is investing about $165 million in order to triple production on its new hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle as a result of strong demand from corporate and public sectors. Two additional lines will be added to produce fuel-cell stacks and hydrogen tanks at Toyota’s factory in Aichi Prefecture by the end of next year while additional equipment for vehicle assembly will be upgraded.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Toyota Mirai Review
Toyota expects orders will likely exceed the current annual capacity of 700 units and plans to sell at least 400 Mirais in Japan by the end of 2015. Deliveries to the U.S. and Europe are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2015 and Toyota hopes to sell around 3,000 units by the end of 2017. Demand in Europe is expected to be much less, with the automaker estimating 50 to 100 units a year by 2016.
GALLERY: 2016 Toyota Mirai
[Source: Nikkei Asian Review]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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