India has launched a pilot project to test the use of hydrogen in the mobility sector, with Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi calling it a significant milestone in the country’s clean energy journey. The initiative includes the handover of Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) for extensive field trials.

Joshi said green hydrogen is emerging globally as the backbone of future energy systems and emphasised that collaborations such as this strengthen India’s “Energy Aatma Nirbharta”. He added that hydrogen-based mobility aligns with India’s Panchamrit climate commitments and will play a central role in shaping the country’s energy economy in the coming decades.

Describing Toyota’s Mirai as “a new chapter for sustainable mobility”, the Minister noted that the vehicle’s name — meaning “Future” in Japanese — reflects India’s aspiration for a clean and innovative transport ecosystem. Under the MoU, NISE will test the Mirai over the next two years in diverse Indian conditions, including extreme heat, dust, traffic congestion and varied terrain. The findings will help guide the nationwide scale-up of hydrogen mobility and deepen technical expertise among industry, academia and policymakers.

Joshi highlighted that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are clean, silent and emission-free, releasing only water. Globally, fuel cell technologies are being used across cars, buses, trucks, trains, ships and stationary power systems. He said that by personally driving the Mirai, he intended to send a clear message that hydrogen mobility is well-suited for Indian roads. He also praised Toyota Kirloskar Motor for its commitment to carbon neutrality and commended NISE for its leadership in advancing India’s clean energy ambitions.

Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik said the initiative represents a major step towards a clean, green and self-reliant energy future. He noted India’s rapid progress under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in January 2023, and said real-world testing of FCEV technologies demonstrates India’s shift from policy to implementation and eventually to commercialisation.

Naik highlighted the strong collaboration between industry, research institutions and government in developing hydrogen technologies and expressed confidence that NISE’s assessment will provide valuable insights for wider adoption. He said the pilot will support cleaner air, sustainable transport and broader hydrogen-based economic development.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Vikram Gulati said the partnership reaffirms the company’s commitment to supporting India’s green hydrogen ambitions. He noted that hydrogen fuel cell technology, alongside other sustainable systems, will play a key role in helping India achieve net-zero targets and long-term energy independence.

The event was attended by senior officials, including MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi, NISE Director General Dr Mohammad Rihan and National Green Hydrogen Mission Director Abhay Bakre. After the launch, Joshi drove the Mirai to the Parliament, saying the green-designed building was a fitting place to showcase advanced hydrogen mobility.