India took a significant step toward a cleaner transport future with the launch of a pilot project to test hydrogen fuel cell mobility on Indian roads. Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, announced the initiative at an MoU exchange ceremony in New Delhi, describing it as a milestone in the nation’s energy transition and a boost to the government’s clean mobility vision.
The project involves real-world testing of Toyota’s Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), which has been handed over to the National Institute for Solar Energy (NISE). Over the next two years, NISE will evaluate the vehicle’s performance across India’s diverse climatic and road conditions, including extreme heat, dust, heavy traffic and varied terrain. According to the ministry, the results will offer critical insights for scaling hydrogen mobility solutions nationwide and help strengthen technical readiness within industry, academia and policymaking circles.
Joshi emphasised that green hydrogen is emerging as a key pillar of future global energy systems and will be central to India’s ‘Energy Aatma Nirbharta’. He said the collaboration brings together innovation and scientific rigor, aligning with India’s Panchamrit climate commitments and demonstrating growing confidence that hydrogen will power the country’s energy economy in the coming decades. Calling the Mirai, ‘a new chapter for sustainable mobility’, the minister noted its name meaning ‘future’ in Japanese symbolises India’s aspirations for a clean and resilient transport ecosystem. After the event, Joshi drove the hydrogen-powered car to the Parliament building, calling its smooth and silent ride a testament to the transformative potential of hydrogen mobility.
Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik said the initiative reflects India’s rapid progress from policy formulation to experimentation and commercialisation in the hydrogen sector, following the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2023. He underscored the importance of collaboration between industry, research institutions and government, adding that NISE’s evaluation of the Mirai will provide valuable data for future deployment and support wider adoption of zero-emission transportation solutions.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor reiterated its commitment to India’s clean energy goals, with Executive Vice President Vikram Gulati stating that the partnership strengthens the company’s support for the Green Hydrogen Mission and its belief that hydrogen fuel-cell technology will play a major role in helping India achieve energy independence and net-zero ambitions.
