Toyota Mirai slides onto the Indian market with a sticker price of ₹18.75 lakh and a 600‑km driving range, making it one of the most affordable hydrogen cars yet. Buyers will be glad to see a price that sits well below the high‑end battery EVs, while the range cuts the worry of frequent refuelling.
The Mirai packs a 150‑horsepower motor, draws power from a 5.2‑kWh polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, and fills in about 5 minutes at a compliant station. Acceleration is modest but steady, matching the typical driving profile of a city commuter.
When you compare it to the Hyundai Nexo, which starts at ₹22 lakh and offers 480 km, the Mirai’s longer range gives it a clear edge for longer commutes. The Nexo’s battery‑electric hybrid mode also offers a different experience, but the Mirai’s pure hydrogen design keeps the vehicle lighter and the power delivery smoother.
Hydrogen isn’t just a car‑centric fantasy. LANXESS’s recent switch to a pipeline‑supplied hydrogen burner for its Krefeld pigment dryer shows that large‑scale, continuous hydrogen use is already happening in industry. That pipeline – a by‑product of chlorine electrolysis – demonstrates a steady, low‑carbon supply chain that could feed future city‑wide refuelling networks.
Policy is catching up, too. Delhi’s 2024 Hydrogen Strategy earmarks up to ₹100 crore for station build‑outs, and the central government is offering a 15% rebate on hydrogen vehicle purchases. That means a Mirai could effectively drop to around ₹16 lakh after incentives.
The car hit the market in August 2023, with initial deliveries limited to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. By 2025, Toyota plans to roll the Mirai out to 20 major metros, and the first hydrogen station in Mumbai is slated for early 2024. Keep an eye on the rollout map – it’s the first concrete sign that hydrogen may actually move beyond the lab.