In the ten days since the Toyota Mirai FCV opened its order books, the Japanese automaker says it has attracted 600 applications to bring home their hydrogen-powered alternative fuel vehicle.
"That's everyone that has gone on to Toyota.com/Mirai and requested a vehicle (since July 20)," Jana Hartline, Toyota spokeswoman told WardsAuto.
Reportedly, the Japanese automaker is looking to move 3,000 Mirai sales in the US from 2015 to 2017.
But not all of the mostly "tech-savvy" early adopters will get to take home the Mirai. Franchise Herald reported last month that prospective buyers have to pass certain criteria set by Toyota. This includes being a California resident and living close to a hydrogen refuelling station.
The lack of an adequate refuelling infrastructure will be one of the hurdles the Toyota Mirai FCV has to overcome.
"Right now, the US lags in Japan in terms of refuelling infrastructure development because of a combination of lack of government funding and limited standardization when it comes to permitting," Autoblog said.
Just last month, Green Car Reports spoke to Hyundai Tucson FCV owners who were complaining of limited hydrogen supply and stations that aren't working at all.
But future Mirai FCV owners need not worry as Toyota is already addressing hydrogen refuelling woes.
"There are 48 stations that are planned and funded by the state of California that are all in various stages of development," Toyota national alternative fuel vehicle manager Craig Scott told Forbes.
Scott added that two out of the 48 have been completed while another eight will soon go online.
"By the end of the year we're anticipating somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10 to 15 stations open and ready. That means that they're retail ready for a Mirai customer."
The Toyota exec projects that there should be "20 more for next year." As for existing hydrogen refuelling stations, Scott told WardsAuto that those were only meant to demonstrate the alternative fuel of the future and "never intended for retail use."
This is why Toyota got involved in the first place, "to sort of speed things along."
Priced at around $58,000, the Toyota Mirai FCV has an estimated range of 312 miles. Deliveries are set to begin October this year.
