Toyota is offering US buyers its latest hydrogen fuel cell car at almost half price

Japanese car company Toyota is offering US customers up to $33,000 off the price of its new 2024 Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. This big discount cuts the car's price by half to attract more buyers in California, where sales of hydrogen cars are currently low.

The offer is available for customers who buy the car through Toyota’s financing service and runs until July 31. It also includes $15,000 worth of free hydrogen fuel for three years. Customers can get $33,000 off the top-tier “Limited” Mirai, which usually costs $68,210, making it nearly half off. A similar 48% discount is available for the base model “XLE”, reducing its price from $51,285 to $26,285.

Toyota has been heavily discounting its Mirai cars in California to boost sales. Earlier this year, they offered 60% off the 2023 model. Other companies like Hyundai and Honda have also offered incentives, with Honda giving up to $30,000 in free fuel.

However, Toyota's current offer is much higher than usual for its newest models. Last year, they offered $30,000 off the “Limited” trim and $22,000 off the “XLE”, which were only slightly cheaper than the 2024 models.

Sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars in California, which has the only hydrogen refueling infrastructure, fell by 79.3% from October 2023 to April 2024 compared to the previous year. Shell announced it would close all its hydrogen refueling stations in California, and many Mirai owners faced issues last summer due to a hydrogen supply shortage. Governor Gavin Newsom has also reduced subsidies for building new hydrogen refueling stations, fearing they might not be used enough.