India has taken a significant step toward advancing hydrogen-powered transport with the launch of a pilot project featuring the second-generation Toyota Mirai fuel-cell electric vehicle. The vehicle has been handed over to the National Institute of Solar Energy for a two-year real-world study that will assess how hydrogen mobility performs across India’s diverse and challenging driving conditions.

The initiative was formally unveiled on 11 December 2025 by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, who described it as a major milestone in India’s evolving clean transport strategy. According to a ministry note, the Mirai reflects India’s growing commitment to sustainable, zero-emission mobility and represents a collaboration between Toyota Kirloskar Motor and NISE. The partnership was cemented through a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the launch.

The Toyota Mirai is a second-generation hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that produces electricity onboard through a reaction between hydrogen stored in its tank and oxygen from the air. Its only emission is water vapour. With an estimated driving range of about 650 kilometres and a refuelling time of under five minutes, the Mirai is considered one of the world’s leading hydrogen-powered vehicles and offers a practical lens through which India can evaluate large-scale adoption.

Real-world testing to shape India’s hydrogen future

Under the pilot, NISE will test the vehicle in a wide range of Indian conditions, from extreme heat and dusty environments to congested traffic and varied terrain. The aim is to build a comprehensive understanding of how hydrogen fuel-cell systems perform in daily use and to generate data that will support wider deployment nationwide.

The two-year study will also help raise awareness, shape technical expertise and build confidence among policymakers, industry and academia. Insights from the pilot are expected to guide future planning for hydrogen refuelling ecosystems, standards and mobility applications.

The project ties directly into the National Green Hydrogen Mission, approved in January 2023 with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. The mission sets a target of producing five million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030 and encourages deployment across sectors, including transport. Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik noted that the pilot demonstrates India’s rapid shift from policy design to practical experimentation and eventual commercial rollout in the hydrogen ecosystem.

Source:

https://www.theweek.in/news/biz-tech/2025/12/12/india-green-hydrogen-mission-turns-to-toyota-mirai.html