Here's How Much It Costs To Fill Up A Toyota Mirai
The Toyota Mirai is currently the only production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle on the market. If you're unfamiliar with it, that's likely because there are only around 60 hydrogen refueling stations in the U.S., most of which are located in Southern California, ranging from Los Angeles to San Diego. If you happen to live in California, you may have noticed there are a ton of Mirais for sale for remarkably affordable prices on the used market. Just remember: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Those Mirais are remarkably cheap because of how much it costs to fill them right now. Late last year, the price of hydrogen fuel increased to $36 per kilogram. The Mirai's tank holds 5.6 kilograms, meaning that filling it from empty now costs a hair over $200. While it might be worth it if the vehicle had excellent fuel range, that is unfortunately not the case.
Toyota Mirai Range
Toyota advertises that current Mirai models have up to 400 miles of driving range on a full tank of hydrogen. However, many owners report getting far less than that and falling beneath the 300-mile range. Even at the advertised range, it would cost Mirai owners around 50 cents per mile to drive their cars. On the worst end of range claims from owners, it can cost over 80 cents per mile.
True Zero, the leading hydrogen retailer in California, says that the rising costs of hydrogen are due to supply chain restrictions and low carbon credit values. The company says it intends to do everything it can to bring prices back down. For reference, hydrogen was under $16 per kilogram in July 2022. As one might imagine, though, Mirai owners are not thrilled about the current prices.
It is worth noting, however, that Toyota gives Mirai buyers a fuel card with $15,000 worth of hydrogen purchases on it, which is good for six years. However, at the current cost of $36/kilogram, that $15,000 won't get you 30,000 miles of driving, even if they manage to get 400 miles per fill. For some, it might not even last them an entire year, depending on their commute. For someone with a long commute in the LA area, a used Mirai could cost a remarkable amount of money out of pocket.