New Delhi: India launched a pilot project on Thursday to test hydrogen-powered vehicles in the country’s diverse road and climatic conditions, marking a significant step in its clean energy transition.
The initiative involves field trials of Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) by the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE) to generate insights for scaling up hydrogen mobility nationwide.
The two-year programme will evaluate Mirai’s performance across heat, dust, traffic congestion and varied terrain, aiming to build technical capability and confidence among industry, academia and policymakers.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are clean, silent and emission-free, producing only water vapour as a by-product, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuel-based transport.
Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi described the project as a major milestone in India’s clean energy ambitions. He highlighted that green hydrogen is emerging globally as the backbone of future energy systems and said collaborations like this strengthen India’s energy self-reliance, promote low-emission transportation, and align with the country’s climate commitments.
Joshi called the Mirai, whose name means “future” in Japanese, a symbol of India’s aspiration for a sustainable mobility ecosystem.
Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, Shripad Yesso Naik noted that the project reflects India’s rapid movement from policy to real-world experimentation under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor emphasized its commitment to supporting India’s green hydrogen agenda, stating that hydrogen fuel cell technology will play a pivotal role in achieving net-zero targets and energy independence.
The second-generation Toyota Mirai offers a driving range of approximately 650 km with a refuelling time of under five minutes, making it one of the most advanced zero-emission mobility solutions globally.