Every so often, a vehicle arrives that makes me feel as though I have stepped a few pages ahead in the grand book of automotive evolution. The Toyota Mirai is one of those vehicles. It looks sleek, glides along serenely, and hides a revolutionary secret under its sculpted bonnet. This is a car powered by hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, and it behaves with the polite manners of a luxury saloon while performing scientific magic beneath the surface.
The Mirai is built around what is known as a hydrogen fuel cell. Before stepping into the driver’s seat, I was determined to understand what exactly makes this system so special. This is what I discovered:
At its core, the fuel cell combines hydrogen from the vehicle’s tanks with oxygen from the air. This process takes place inside a stack of thin plates coated with clever catalysts. The two elements meet, react, and produce electricity. The only by-product that escapes the tailpipe is water vapour, which trickles out like a polite apology to the environment. There is no carbon dioxide, no smoke, and absolutely no fuss.
What fascinates me most about the fuel cell system is how it behaves in everyday driving. The electricity generated in the stack flows straight to the electric motor, which powers the front wheels. A small lithium-ion battery stores any excess electricity for those moments when an extra burst of energy is required.
It is all wonderfully self-contained. There is no need to plug the Mirai in, no waiting for batteries to replenish themselves. Instead, the refuelling process involves filling the hydrogen tanks, a procedure that takes no more than six minutes. It feels as straightforward as visiting a normal fuel station, only without the familiar smell of petrol clinging to hands and clothing.
Sliding into the cabin, I find myself surrounded by a sense of calm futurism. The Mirai has been shaped around the idea that a sustainable car should also feel genuinely premium. The materials are plush, the surfaces smooth, and the displays bright and crisp. Toyota clearly wanted to ensure that hydrogen power does not feel like a compromise. In fact, it feels more like an invitation to embrace something new.
On the road, the Mirai surprised me with its effortless glide. Electric motors are famed for immediate torque, and the Mirai delivers this with silky assurance. There is no vibration and no hesitation. In busy traffic for the B20 summit, it felt as though the world was moving in slow motion around me. The car responded instantly and quietly, allowing us to slip into gaps with confidence. At higher speeds, it maintains its composure with the dignity of a seasoned executive saloon.
Toyota’s system is remarkably efficient, allowing an impressive range. The hydrogen is stored in robust, high-pressure carbon fibre tanks designed to withstand extreme conditions, ensuring absolute safety. Everything about the system feels meticulously engineered.
What excites me most is the larger story behind the Mirai. It demonstrates that sustainable motoring can evolve in multiple directions. Battery electric vehicles have dominated the spotlight, but hydrogen offers a different and equally compelling path. It is light, energy dense, and emits nothing but water when used in a fuel cell.
In regions where renewable energy is abundant, hydrogen can be produced cleanly, creating a genuinely circular system.
The big drawback is cost. The cost to produce usable hydrogen for vehicles is rather astronomical (like 15 Euros per kg and a car requires 4 kg to drive 350km). Until such time that it can be produced more economically, hydrogen vehicles will remain a dream in South Africa.
* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.