Hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai test mule in India: Highlights

As part of the alternative fuels pilot project being carried out by Toyota and the Central government, the automaker has brought two cars into the country. The first was the ethanol-powered Corolla FFV-SHEV, watch TOI Auto’s review here. And the second is the hydrogen-powered Mirai, in which Union minister Nitin Gadkari was recently spotted riding shotgun. The two vehicles have been brought into the country to test if biofuel blends and green hydrogen technologies are viable options for Indians or not.

Currently, there are three types of hydrogen fuels available worldwide. The first is petroleum hydrogen, the second is black hydrogen derived from coal and the third is green hydrogen generated from water and organic waste. The Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), runs on green hydrogen.
The Mirai FCEV features Toyota’s TCFS fuel cell technology that uses hydrogen as a fuel. The hydrogen is stored in three pressurised tanks with an overall capacity of 142.2-litres. The hydrogen power generating motor in the Mirai is capable of producing 128 kW or 171 hp and 221 Nm of peak torque.

Toyota claims that the Mirai has a range of 650 km on full capacity and unlike EVs that need a considerable time to recharge, the hydrogen tanks can be completely filled up in just five minutes. In terms of emissions, an FCEV generates water and no other residues. The Mirai is currently being sold in other international markets.
While the proposition of hydrogen powered cars is exciting, India still has a long way to go before hydrogen becomes available in volumes that would make FCEVs a practical alternative.