Toyota’s new Mirai hydrogen saloon has opened for orders, bringing increased range but heavily reduced pricing and business contract hire rates.

Prices for the second-generation Mirai start from £49,995 – down 24% on the £66k price tag of its predecessor – while business contract hire rates start from £435 per month (excl. VAT).

Toyota had said at the late-2020 reveal of the new Mirai that it was reducing pricing, which, alongside the Mirai’s improved looks and higher performance and range, is expected to bring a 10-fold increase in sales.

The latest Mirai features a new platform as well as a new fuel cell powertrain that weighs almost half that in the original model. As a result, Toyota claims significant improvements to aerodynamics, dynamic performance and packaging, including a more responsive and refined ride.

The new model also brings a 30% increase in range, rising from 300 to 400 miles, thanks to its incorporation of a third hydrogen fuel tank.

It’s available in three variants – Design, Design Plus Pack and Design Premium – all of which come as standard with the latest-generation Toyota Safety Sense package of active safety and driver assistance systems.

The Design trim includes 19-inch silver alloy wheels, 3-inch multimedia display with navigation, smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 14-speaker JBL Premium Sound System with DAB and Bluetooth, reversing camera, 8-inch colour multi-information display, dual-zone air con, heated front seats plus heated, power-adjustable and retractable door mirrors.

The Mirai Design Plus Pack, priced at £53,995 and with BCH from £450pm (excl. VAT), adds in synthetic leather seats, front parking sensors, rear intelligent parking sensors with rear cross traffic alert and auto brake, Panoramic View Monitor, Blind Spot Monitor and reverse tilt, memory function and puddle lights on door mirrors.

The Mirai Design Premium Pack, which is priced at £64,995 and with BCH from £609pm (excl. VAT), adds on 20-inch black alloy wheels, semi-aniline leather, driver and front passenger ventilated seats, heated rear seats, teammate Advanced Park, digital rear-view mirror, panoramic roof with powered sunshade, full colour head-up display, power-adjustable, heated steering wheel with memory function and triple-zone air con.

Deliveries of the new Mirai start later this year.