Hundreds of people are expected to take them to downtown Los Angeles towns this weekend to protest, but they are not targeting federal agents or President Donald Trump.
Instead, they oppose what was presented as environmentally friendly vehicles, including models produced by America’s most popular car brands.
Toyota Mirai and other hydrogen-powered vehicles are assumed to be the next wave of green cars, with Toyota boasting on its website that “Mirai combines hydrogen with oxygen from the outside air to help drive us into a future of possibilities without generating tailpipe emissions.”
Instead, those who bought Mirai say they have a shortage of hydrogen fueling stations and are paying tens of thousands of dollars for cars that cannot be driven because the stations they exist are so unreliable.
“People are paying $500, $600 and $700 a month for cars that are not available,” said attorney Jason Ingber, who represents the hundreds of people who have purchased hydrogen cars.
About 100 people will march alongside Ingber and his clients in Sacramento on June 22 to raise awareness and do the same in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, June 29th.
Ingber called Sacramento Rally “powerful” and said he hopes for similar results in downtown Los Angeles.
“Drivers appeared with signs, passion and one clear message. Toyota needs to get these cars back and stop selling,” he said. “We’re gaining momentum. People are demanding real accountability. There are no more false promises. There are no more broken stations.
“The best thing since the Prius”
None of the Mirai owners who spoke to KTLA disliked the vehicle at first.
They were impressed by what cars and drivers call “Lexus-level luxury” and the promise of a sustainable, emissionless vehicle that offers the “benefits of an EV without long battery removal times.”
Additionally, Mirai owners liked the idea of getting a $15,000 fuel card at the time of purchase, offsetting vehicles priced over $50,000.
“They’re telling you, “Here’s $15,000 free fuel. It lasts for you for three years. You know, it’s the next best thing from the Prius.
And despite their complaints about Toyota, those who bought Mirai still see some profits.
“No one denied the engineering splendor of these cars. It’s a good product, and the hydrogen infrastructure system is the only place where the core of the problem is,” Zachary Graham said.
Refueling nightmare
According to the US Department of Energy, Mirai is primarily sold in California.
A Toyota spokesman confirmed that more than 14,000 Millets sold were primarily in California.
“Yes, it’s true that Toyota Mirai is primarily sold in California, as that’s where the bulk of retail hydrogen fuel and infrastructure exists,” the spokesperson said in an email. “There are also areas where infrastructure availability is also available, such as Canada, Europe and some parts of Japan. The number of mirais is limited. [fuel cell electric vehicle] It is sold in places like the Pacific Northwest in California, USA. ”
At Toyota dealers, salespeople highlighted dozens of hydrogen refueling stations, particularly in the Southern California and the Bay Area.
According to Ingber and his client, there are dozens of stations that help drivers find them, and apps that help drivers find them, but the problem is that those stations are hardly reliable.
Hydrogen owners will protest Toyota in Sacramento on June 22, 2025. (Ingber Law Group) Protest Toyota in Sacramento on June 22, 2025. The Sacramento Mirai on June 22, 2025 was one of the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to be sold commercially. (Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images)
Common complaints include non-functional stations, fuel nozzles that freeze the vehicle as a result of cold hydrogen, and the inability of multiple vehicles to refuel in a row.
So, having $15,000 to spend on fuel is great, but it’s irrelevant if you can’t expect to be able to source that fuel when you need it. Even apps that are supposed to track stations are often wrong, said Mirai buyer Robert Adamson.
“These pumps are always, always down, and you’ll say that in many cases they’re happening, and you can end up with just one of these pumps with little fuel left in your tank, and they’re down,” he said. “You have to sit there and call [the station operator for help]and hopefully someone can come, or you can undo it, or you have to pull it out. I think because of these circumstances I was led by a half dozen, perhaps even more. ”
Mirai owners say Toyota will pay for the towing service, but that doesn’t solve the problem of unreliable fuel sources.
And even if one station is pretty reliable, it’s very helpful because California’s automotive culture requires a richer refueling area, said actor Robert Palmer Watkins.
“There have been many times when you’re an independent contractor, you’re an actor and when your job is driving LA for literally different sets and shoots, you can’t get to that particular pump,” Watkins said. “Imagine having one gasoline that your car can drive. It sounds feasible if it’s close to home, but it’s really complicated if you need to drive California for work.”
A Toyota spokesperson said, “As an emerging technology, Toyota recognizes that certain Mirai customers in California may experience refueling challenges, including the closure of the Hydrogen Bureau.”
“Affected Mirai customers will use tools such as the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership website (h2fcp.org) to find other stations across the region, or contact the brand engagement center and speak with Mirai specialists at 1-800-331-4331 (Option #2) to discuss available resources. “We will continue to work with affected Mirai customers to identify potential ways to address concerns on a case-by-case basis. We are continuing to commit to working with stakeholders to support California’s hydrogen fueling infrastructure now and in the future.”
Another factor is that even with most Toyota’s controls, even when the station is working, hydrogen prices have skyrocketed over the past few years, turning gasoline alternatives overturning alternatives to more expensive fuel choices, and rapidly draining the $15,000 fuel card.
“It was supposed to be more than three years, but it didn’t last for even a year and a half,” Adamson said.
“Only the writers sitting in my driveway.”
According to Ingber and his clients, among Mirai’s geographical limitations and numerous dissatisfied customers, the vehicle loses its value in the resale market significantly.
A Toyota spokesman said, “Resale value is influenced by a number of factors, including incentives at the time of purchase, post-purchase incentives and tax rebates.”
“So, providing a specific answer is not feasible, but there are third-party tools that consumers often use to find references to vehicle values based on current market trends and conditions,” the spokesman said.
Kelly Blue’s book shows that second-hand cars often get a 75% to 80% discount on new prices, but Mirai’s owners say it’s far less.
“You can’t sell them. No one will buy them,” Adamson said. “And Toyota, they’re giving us $500 like $500.”
Toyota noted that the dealers are independently operated as franchises.
Adamson added that he cannot take the offer, so he sticks to vehicles that he cannot drive.
“It’s just a wording that I’m sitting in my driveway,” he said.
Not so green fuel
Ingber and his clients also protested what they characterized as greenwashing.
It is true that hydrogen vehicles do not produce dangerous emissions in the environments that gas vehicles carry, but its hydrogen production is far from green.
The majority of hydrogen often comes from natural gas refining. In other words, it is classified as “gray” energy rather than “green” energy, as it requires the use of fossil fuels.
Despite these origins, hydrogen fuels are awarded tax credits and credits by the government.
“They need to use methane to produce hydrogen, but they’re not honest about that,” Graham said. “They are benefiting from the government and they’re not getting them.”
Toyota noted that there are multiple ways to produce hydrogen and that the company does not belong to the US infrastructure business.
“We encourage you to reach out to fuel suppliers and understand their source of ingredients,” the spokesman said.
Toyota’s future with hydrogen
A Toyota spokesperson said hydrogen vehicles are just part of the “multipathway approach to vehicle electrification,” and its purpose is to “provide options to reduce customer emissions.”
“Hydrogen continues to be an important part of that approach,” they said, adding that the company has “announced plans to consider the possibility of more vertical integration with infrastructure providers.”
In the meantime, the company is moving forward with hydrogen-powered vehicles, including the construction of a new hydrogen station at Toyota North American Parts Center in California.
“Hydrogen as fuel, especially fuel cells, offers potentially positive change and we are invested in their long-term success,” said Toyota Group vice president of Jordan Choby, Powertrain Engineering.
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