It is no surprise that few things go better together than the Toyota Mirai and James May. While peanut butter and jelly can come close, Mirai offers May everything he wants from the road-driving experience. Therefore, you may be surprised to learn that he is selling his. Then why?
First, a critical issue for UK-based Mirai owners is the limited number of gas stations – of which there are currently only 11. For those unfamiliar with the Japanese car, it uses a fuel cell of hydrogen located under the hood. Power then flows from the central power unit to a 1.24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery mounted on the floor that drives an electric motor attached to the rear wheels.
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To our surprise, the main reason why Captain Slow is selling his Mirai is because it’s not exciting enough for him – yes, that’s right, it doesn’t bother him. With only 152 horsepower (113.3 kilowatts) available, May described the driving experience as pleasant. Despite his objections to the vehicle, the Japanese automaker will be pleased to hear that he compared the driving experience with that of the Bentley Continental GT.
We would be remiss not to mention that, unlike the nickname, the move to a more exciting car makes some sense. In his tenure as an automotive analyst, May owned many interesting vehicles, such as the Ferrari 458 Speciale and the Ferrari 308 GTB – although he has already sold the classic Italian vehicle. Therefore, the candidate to replace Mirai remains a mystery.
All we know now is that there will be a future DriveTribe video showing the process of obtaining the keys to your new hot rod. Speaking of which, feel free to let us know in the comments below which vehicle do you think will replace Mr. May’s award-winning Toyota Mirai.