Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and handed over its Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle for real-world testing under Indian driving and climatic conditions. The agreement was exchanged at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy headquarters in the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The collaboration supports India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and carbon-neutrality objectives. NISE will assess the Mirai’s operational performance across parameters including fuel efficiency, range, drivability, refueling behavior, performance in diverse terrains, cold and winter operating conditions, and environmental resilience. The study will examine the vehicle’s adaptability to Indian road infrastructure, traffic patterns, dust exposure, and climatic variability.
The ceremony was attended by Pralhad Joshi, Union Cabinet Minister of New and Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution; Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State in Ministry of New & Renewable Energy and Power; Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Minister for New and Renewable Energy; Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission; Dr. Mohammad Rihan, Director General, NISE; and Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, TKM.
Addressing the exchange ceremony Pralhad Joshi, Hon’ble Union Cabinet Minister of New and Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, said, “India’s shift to cleaner energy is now moving from planning to actual implementation. The MoU between the National Institute of Solar Energy and Toyota Kirloskar Motor, along with the handover of a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle for testing, is an important step forward for our National Green Hydrogen Mission. These partnerships are essential for building our domestic capacity and moving closer to energy independence and carbon neutrality.”
Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President and Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “The real-world testing of the Toyota Mirai under India’s diverse climatic and infrastructural conditions will help generate critical insights into hydrogen’s potential as a mainstream mobility solution. This collaboration showcases our commitment to introducing cutting-edge technology and actively contributing to advancing India’s overall energy goals and clean transportation ecosystem. We are grateful to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for their visionary support and collaborative approach in enabling this critical study, which will strengthen India’s pathway toward a net-zero commitments.”
Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor stated, “We are fully committed to a multi-pathway approach that integrates hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, strong hybrid electric vehicles, and alternative fuel technologies. This partnership with the National Institute of Solar Energy and the handover of the Toyota Mirai for testing reaffirm our dedication to supporting India’s Green Hydrogen mission and accelerating the nation’s transition toward future mobility that is powered by green & indigenous energy sources. We believe hydrogen fuel-cell technology, alongside other sustainable technologies, will play a pivotal role in helping India achieve its net-zero commitments and energy independence objectives.”
The second-generation Toyota Mirai produces electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water vapour. The vehicle has a driving range of approximately 650 km and a refueling time of under five minutes.
TKM operates two manufacturing plants in Bidadi with a total installed production capacity of 3,42,000 units. The company has over 6,500 employees and manufactures models including Innova HyCross, Innova Crysta, Fortuner, Legender, Camry Hybrid, Urban Cruiser Hyryder, and Hilux. TKM aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through net-zero emissions across the full product lifecycle.