Kiwi business travellers can now hire a hydrogen-powered car, with Ezi Car Rental adding three Toyota Mirai sedans to its fleet at Palmerston North Airport.
It is the first time a hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle has been offered by a New Zealand rental company. The Mirai is available exclusively to eligible Ezi Business customers and can be hired for up to two days.
An introductory rate of $79 per day applies to bookings made by September 30, 2026. The price includes Ezi Ultra insurance with zero excess, the airport location fee and approximately 250km of driving.
Customers will not need to refuel the car before returning it, with Ezi handling that job at the nearby Hiringa hydrogen station.
“Most of our customers have never seen a hydrogen vehicle, let alone driven one. That’s exactly why we wanted to be part of this. The Mirai is a special experience, and renting one takes no more effort than hiring any other car with us. Once people try it, it will change how they think about travel. We’re proud to be the first rental company in Aotearoa to pilot this and we’re excited to see the reaction from our corporate customers,” said Ezi Car Rental chief executive Anthony Kearns.
How does the Mirai work?
Rather than storing all its electricity in a large battery, the second-generation Mirai uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity within its fuel-cell system.
That electricity powers a rear-mounted electric motor, while a smaller battery stores energy and assists with power delivery. The only substance emitted from the car while driving is water vapour.
Refuelling takes approximately three to five minutes, although access to public hydrogen stations remains limited in New Zealand. The presence of Hiringa’s station near Palmerston North Airport is the main reason the rental programme is based there.
Each car will be supplied with enough hydrogen for approximately 250km of travel. Rentals must begin and end at Palmerston North Airport, ruling out one-way trips or longer journeys beyond the supplied range.
The cars cannot be booked through Ezi’s standard retail channels and are available only through the company’s business portal.
Toyota expands its alternative-fuel trials
The Mirai has been operating in New Zealand since 2022, mainly through a business trial in Auckland. However, it has not previously been available as a conventional rental vehicle.
Toyota New Zealand chief executive Tatsuya Ishikawa said the programme would allow more people to experience fuel-cell technology for themselves.
“The best way to understand new vehicle technologies is to experience them first-hand. Whether it’s battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, experiencing these vehicles helps people better understand the role they can play in New Zealand’s future transport mix. The Mirai is a premium car, it drives beautifully, and making it available in the Manawatū is about putting that experience within reach of more New Zealanders,” he said.
The hydrogen initiative follows the introduction of battery-electric Toyota bZ4X rentals in Auckland. Ezi became part of Toyota Finance New Zealand in 2023 and operates 24 rental locations around the country.
Toyota-trained technicians will support the Palmerston North fleet. The second-generation Mirai also carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating and is equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense driver-assistance package.
Toyota New Zealand has around 17 Mirai vehicles available for deployment around the country and expects the Manawatū fleet to grow over time. Hamilton and Tauranga are being considered as possible future locations as the hydrogen refuelling network expands, but no further rental sites have been confirmed.