India Launches Hydrogen Mobility Pilot, Begins Real-World Trials of Toyota Mirai

Speaking at the launch, Shri Joshi emphasized that green hydrogen is rapidly emerging as the backbone of future global energy architectures.

Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, today launched a landmark Pilot Project for field trials on the use of hydrogen in the mobility sector, calling it a decisive step toward India’s clean and self-reliant energy future. The initiative places green hydrogen at the centre of India’s long-term energy strategy, positioning it as a transformative fuel for next-generation sustainable transport systems.

Green Hydrogen as the Fuel of the Future

Speaking at the launch, Shri Joshi emphasized that green hydrogen is rapidly emerging as the backbone of future global energy architectures. By integrating hydrogen into India’s mobility ecosystem, the country strengthens its commitment to Energy Aatma Nirbharta, advances its Panchamrit climate goals, and accelerates progress toward achieving net-zero emissions.

A key highlight of the event was the handover of Toyota’s Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) to the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE). Shri Joshi described the name Mirai—meaning “Future” in Japanese—as symbolic of India’s aspiration to build a clean, green and technologically advanced mobility system.

Two-Year Nationwide Real-World Testing by NISE

Under a formal MoU, NISE will conduct comprehensive testing of the Mirai FCEV across India’s diverse climatic and road conditions, including:

• High-temperature and dusty environments

• Urban congestion

• Mountainous and uneven terrains

The two-year assessment will provide crucial data to support scaling up hydrogen mobility, enhancing industry readiness, guiding policymakers and building public confidence in hydrogen-fuelled transport.

Shri Joshi highlighted that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are silent, efficient and emission-free—releasing only water vapour. Globally, hydrogen fuel cells already power cars, buses, trucks, ships, trains and even stationary power systems, indicating India’s potential to integrate these technologies at scale.

The Minister also drove the hydrogen-powered Mirai to the Parliament building, underscoring its suitability for Indian conditions and symbolically linking the demonstration to India’s green Parliament infrastructure.

Reinforcing India’s Green Hydrogen Mission

Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, praised the initiative as evidence of India’s swift move from policy to experimentation to commercialization under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (January 2023), India has been pushing rapid innovation across production, mobility and industrial applications of hydrogen.

Shri Naik emphasized that real-world trials will help shape large-scale deployment strategies, contribute to cleaner air in cities, and accelerate sustainable economic development.

Industry–Research–Government Synergy

Representing Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mr. Vikram Gulati reiterated Toyota’s commitment to supporting India’s hydrogen roadmap. He highlighted the importance of indigenous, green and low-carbon technologies in achieving India’s net-zero and energy-independence goals.

Senior officials, including Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi (Secretary, MNRE), Dr. Mohammad Rihan (DG, NISE) and Shri Abhay Bakre (Mission Director, NGHM), were present during the launch, reflecting strong institutional support for hydrogen innovation.

A Roadmap Toward Scalable Hydrogen Mobility

The pilot project is expected to deliver insights on:

• Vehicle performance across varying temperatures

• Hydrogen storage efficiency

• Fuel cell durability

• Infrastructure requirements for nationwide adoption

The initiative is being viewed as a historic shift in India’s mobility sector—ushering in a future where clean hydrogen transportation becomes mainstream.