New Zealand’s first Toyota Mirai rental fleet launches in Manawatū
Palmerston North Airport has become the home of New Zealand’s first Toyota Mirai rental fleet, giving corporate customers the opportunity to experience hydrogen-powered driving through Ezi Car Rental.
Three Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles have been added to Ezi Car Rental’s Palmerston North Airport fleet, with eligible business customers able to hire the cars for up to two days. The vehicles are supported by the nearby Hiringa hydrogen refuelling station, making the Manawatū region a testing ground for hydrogen-powered passenger travel in New Zealand.
The Mirai is a second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle that produces electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen, with water vapour as its only tailpipe emission. Each rental vehicle is supplied with enough hydrogen for about 250km of driving, making it suitable for business trips around Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū region.
Ezi Car Rental chief executive Anthony Kearns said the company wanted customers to experience hydrogen technology for themselves, rather than simply hearing about it.
“Most of our customers have never seen a hydrogen vehicle, let alone driven one,” Kearns said. “That’s exactly why we wanted to be part of this.”
The company operates 24 locations across New Zealand, including 18 airport sites, giving it an established network through which to introduce alternative powertrain technology to business travellers.
The launch also expands Toyota New Zealand’s strategy of giving customers first-hand access to different low-emission vehicle technologies. Ezi Car Rental became part of the Toyota family in 2023, and the company has previously introduced a battery-electric Toyota bZ4X rental programme in Auckland.
Toyota New Zealand chief executive Tatsuya Ishikawa said the Mirai fleet would allow more people to experience hydrogen fuel cell technology and assess its potential role in the country’s future transport system.
“The best way to understand new vehicle technologies is to experience them first-hand,” Ishikawa said, adding that the Mirai offered customers the chance to explore how hydrogen vehicles could fit different transport needs.
Toyota says trained technicians are available to support the Manawatū fleet, while the second-generation Mirai has received a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the highest rating available under the assessment system.
The move comes as Toyota pursues a multi-powertrain approach to reducing transport emissions in New Zealand, combining hydrogen fuel cells with battery-electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
For New Zealand motorists unfamiliar with hydrogen cars, the Manawatū rental programme provides a rare opportunity to experience the technology behind the wheel. With the Mirai fleet based beside a dedicated hydrogen refuelling station at Palmerston North Airport, the region is positioned to offer one of the country’s most accessible introductions to hydrogen-powered passenger vehicles.
