The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a pilot project to conduct real-world trials of hydrogen fuel cell mobility in India, marking a major milestone in the country’s clean transport roadmap. Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, formally unveiled the initiative and described it as a significant step toward accelerating India’s green hydrogen ecosystem.
As part of the project, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) handed over its Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) for comprehensive field testing. The collaboration was formalised through an MoU signed between NISE and Toyota.
Speaking at the launch, Shri Joshi highlighted green hydrogen as a critical pillar of India’s future energy systems and reiterated the government’s commitment to “Energy Aatma Nirbharta.” He said the pilot will bring together industry expertise, scientific analysis and technological innovation to support India’s clean energy transition. The Minister also noted that the Mirai—which means “Future” in Japanese—symbolises India’s aspirations for a sustainable mobility ecosystem.
Under the agreement, NISE will conduct extensive testing of the Mirai FCEV across diverse Indian road and climate conditions, including heat, dust, heavy traffic and varied terrain. The two-year study will generate key insights to support nationwide scale-up of hydrogen mobility and strengthen industry, academic and policy capabilities. Fuel cell vehicles, which emit only water, are increasingly being deployed globally across transport segments such as cars, buses, trucks, rail, marine and stationary power.
Shri Joshi, who personally drove the Mirai during the launch, said the demonstration underscores the readiness of hydrogen mobility technologies for Indian conditions. He commended Toyota Kirloskar Motor for its commitment to carbon neutrality and acknowledged NISE’s leadership in supporting India’s energy transition.
Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, said the initiative reflects India’s rapid progression from policy formulation to real-world testing under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. He noted that partnerships between industry, research institutions and government are driving India’s hydrogen innovation landscape, and expressed confidence that the pilot will support large-scale adoption of hydrogen-based clean transport solutions.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Country Head and Executive Vice President, Mr. Vikram Gulati, said the company remains dedicated to supporting India’s net-zero goals and energy independence efforts through hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Senior officials, including MNRE Secretary Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi, NISE Director General Dr. Mohammad Rihan, and National Green Hydrogen Mission Director Shri Abhay Bakre, were present at the launch.
Following the event, Shri Joshi drove the vehicle to the Parliament, noting that the new, environmentally sustainable building serves as an appropriate venue to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen-powered mobility.
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