The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has launched the Toyota Mirai, a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) fueled by green hydrogen. Toyota Kirloskar Motor and the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) have started conducting a pilot project to assess the Toyota Mirai on Indian roads and climatic conditions. Masakazu Yoshimura, VC, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Vikram Kirloskar, Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor attended the launch with Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India Hardeep Puri, Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh, and Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey.
In a series of tweets, Nitin Gadkari said that this is a crucial initiative that will promote clean energy and environmental protection by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and thereby make the country 'Energy self-reliant' by 2047. The FCEVs powered by hydrogen is amongst one of the most promising zero-emission solutions. It is thoroughly environment friendly with no tailpipe emissions other than water.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also expressed his desire on constructing India's first electric highway between Delhi and Jaipur is his dream. He said that the government has received 47 proposals to set up ropeway cables in Manipur, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Kashmir. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Budget for 2022-23 has allocated ₹ 1.99 lakh crore for the road transport and highways ministry- out of which ₹ 1.34 lakh crore will be assigned to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is largely responsible for the development of national highways and expressways across the country.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Nitin Gadkari showed optimism about the adoption of electric and alternative fuel-powered vehicles. He promised that sales of petrol and diesel vehicles will fall day by day while that of electric and alternate fuel-powered vehicles will increase. "Total game will be changed in next three years. Sales of petrol and diesel vehicles will reduce day by day. Alternate fuel and electric vehicle sales will increase. After five years total scenario will change," Gadkari said.
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