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Hydrogen Cars Were Supposed to Be the Future. Now Owners Are Suing Toyota
Several Mirai drivers have found themselves still paying for cars they don’t even drive anymore.

The promise of a hydrogen-fueled future has turned into a nightmare for hundreds of car owners in California. Drivers who purchased Toyota’s flagship fuel cell vehicle, the Mirai, are now suing the automaker and other key players, alleging they were misled about the viability of the hydrogen fueling network. With infrastructure collapsing and hydrogen prices surging, several Mirai drivers have found themselves still paying for cars they don’t even drive anymore.
The legal backlash comes as Toyota and other early champions of hydrogen-powered mobility face growing criticism over whether they pushed a technology too soon into an unprepared market.
A green gamble gone wrong
Sam D’Anna had barely driven his $75,000 Toyota Mirai in July 2022 when he realized something was wrong. His Mirai’s hydrogen tank was nearly empty. A dealership staffer at Roseville Toyota ran over to inform him that the nearest fueling station, in Citrus Heights, was offline. The next closest one was in West Sacramento, nearly 25 miles away. That should not be a problem for the Mirai due to its 402-mile EPA-estimated range, but since the car was almost empty, his range indicator showed only 22 miles.
“I’ve already signed,” D’Anna told the Sacramento Bee. He ended up driving off the lot with the air conditioning turned off to conserve fuel. “This is bad. My heart was dropping into my stomach.”
D’Anna is now one of the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against Toyota, hydrogen station operator FirstElement Fuel, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses the defendants of fraud, negligence, and violations of consumer protection laws, among others. It alleges that Toyota knowingly sold vehicles reliant on a fueling ecosystem that was more than subpar, trapping buyers in loans for cars they can barely use.
D’Anna’s Mirai now sits unused under a tarp at his father’s house in El Dorado County. He still pays nearly $1,100 a month on the car, on top of a $1,200 monthly payment for a Ford F-150 hybrid he purchased in 2023 as a replacement.
Infrastructure that never materialized
At its peak, California’s hydrogen vision appeared ambitious but achievable. The state pledged tens of millions of dollars to build a network of fueling stations. Automakers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda introduced sleek zero-emission vehicles powered by compressed hydrogen gas.
The pitch was compelling. Drivers could refuel in a few minutes and emit only water vapor, a seemingly reasonable if not preferable alternative to electric vehicles, which were still gaining traction.
But the real-world rollout failed to keep pace with the marketing. California currently has about 50 hydrogen fueling stations, as per data from the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership. And in 2024, Shell exited the market and shuttered multiple locations.
Even when hydrogen stations are available, they are often plagued by maintenance issues and inconsistent supply. Hydrogen prices have tripled too, and what once cost $70 to fill now runs closer to $200, the Bee noted.
In a statement to Teslarati, Patrick Peterson, auto expert at GoodCar.com, said, “Toyota and Hyundai were among the first to push hydrogen forward, and their vehicles are genuinely impressive. But the issue isn’t the tech, it’s everything around it. The infrastructure just isn’t ready. Most drivers aren’t willing to gamble on whether they’ll find a working hydrogen station or deal with issues like frozen fuel nozzles.”
Peterson said hydrogen’s biggest flaw is its lack of consistency. “EVs, for all their early bumps, have earned consumer trust. You’ve got widespread charging access, predictable performance, and fewer question marks. Hydrogen hasn’t hit that point yet. One bad fill-up can sour someone’s view of the entire platform.”
The price of faith in an idea
Ricky Yap of West Sacramento bought his 2016 Toyota Mirai in 2020 from Roseville Toyota. The vehicle, priced at $16,000, came with a prepaid fuel card worth the same amount. Initially, the fueling experience was “a bit cumbersome and confusing but not so bad,” Yap told the Bee. Then things got a lot worse.
Shell’s closure of hydrogen stations led to long lines at the only remaining site in Sacramento. Hydrogen prices soared, and fueling, thanks to long lines at the station, ended up taking as long as four hours. Yap eventually stopped using the car altogether. He canceled the insurance and registered it as a non-operational vehicle.
“I used it very seldom just because of the fact I don’t like the stress,” he said. “I don’t want to pay insurance on a car that I can’t use every day.”
The lawsuit claims that Toyota and its partners misled consumers about the viability of the hydrogen ecosystem. Many owners were driven by environmental motivations, enticed by generous incentives and Toyota’s reputation. But the resale value of hydrogen cars has collapsed.
One plaintiff, Parita Shah, a physician assistant from Sacramento County, told the Bee that her dealership offered her only $2,000 for her $36,000 Mirai after stations near her home shut down just months after purchase.
Consumers’ legal action turns up the pressure
In July 2025, frustrated Mirai owners organized a demonstration in Los Angeles to draw attention to what they called a broken promise. Protesters held signs reading “Mirai is a Lie,” “Toyota Made a Big Mistake,” and “Mirai Left Me Dry.”
Jason Ingber, attorney for D’Anna, Yap, and several other Mirai owners, spoke at the event. He accused the automaker of knowingly selling a product into a failing infrastructure.
“These are brands they thought they could rely on, and they go in, and they’re told ‘This is the next best thing!’ and it turns out, it’s not,” Ingber told KTLA 5.
Ingber also shared a comment to Teslarati: “Toyota is still selling this car. It makes no damn sense. No fuel for drivers. The car doesn’t work as advertised,” he said.
Automakers offer limited relief
Toyota has acknowledged the fueling issues and confirmed that it stopped selling new Mirais in the Sacramento area over a year ago. In a statement to the Bee, the company said it is “working with affected Mirai customers to identify ways to help them on a case-by-case basis.”
Rental cars and service credits are among the remedies offered, but plaintiffs argued that these are not sustainable solutions. Shah stated that the rental process is quite cumbersome. In her case, she has been relying on a series of short-term rental cars provided by Toyota, which she must exchange every 25 days. She continues to make $326 monthly payments on he Mirai, which she cannot use.
Hyundai, whose Nexo SUV also relies on hydrogen fuel, has offered similar 21-day rental options. The company also issued a recall for about 1,600 Nexo SUVs in late 2024 due to possible hydrogen leaks and potential fires, warning owners to park their cars outside until repairs were made.
A shrinking market
Since 2012, just under 18,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles have been sold in California. Toyota accounts for the vast majority of them, but the pace of adoption has slowed dramatically. For comparison, California now has millions of battery electric and hybrid vehicles on the road.

Policies have also seen a notable shift. California initially committed about $20 million annually to develop hydrogen fueling infrastructure. That number has since dropped to $15 million, and it’s no longer limited to light-duty stations.
Josh Newman, a former state senator and current Mirai owner, told the Bee that government support has fallen short. “I blame the state. We were supposed to have 200 stations up and running for light-duty hydrogen vehicles by 2025,” he said.
In a statement to Teslarati, Alex Black, Chief Marketing Officer at EpicVIN, said the problem now extends beyond infrastructure. “Yes, hydrogen cars do have an image problem right now,” he said.
“Many just do not have confidence in the technology, largely because they have not seen very many out there, there are not many places to fill them up, and have heard about previous recall problems or problems. That tends to stick with them.”
Black added that public sentiment plays a powerful role. “When public sentiment turns, all activity comes to an end: reduced demand, reduced investment, and fewer stations are built. It’s a vicious circle.”
A clean tech cautionary tale
Toyota’s investment in hydrogen was bold and well-intentioned. The technology offers apparent advantages, especially for long-haul or commercial use cases where quick refueling and long range are critical. But for personal mobility, hydrogen’s future remains uncertain, if not questionable, today.
The technology may still find its place in transportation. But for now, at least, consumer trust in hydrogen vehicles has been undermined, and infrastructure is still unreliable for those who have opted to become early adopters of the technology. For those who bought into the vision early, the experience has turned into a cautionary tale.
“People want something they can rely upon,” said Black in his statement to Teslarati. “And they want it to be easy. Hydrogen is not quite there yet.”
For Mirai owners still making monthly payments on cars they cannot drive, the idea of a hydrogen powered future is very sobering.
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Tesla coding shows affordable model details, including potential price

Coding within Tesla’s website appears to have potentially revealed some details of the affordable model it plans to launch, including its possible price.
Although these details are unconfirmed by the company, recent sightings of the vehicle have sparked significant speculation as to what it will offer.
Tesla said a few months back that it had already successfully built the first few test units of the affordable model. CEO Elon Musk revealed later that it would essentially be a stripped-down version of the Model Y with a handful of changes.
We had our first look at what those changes appear to be, as what is likely the new affordable model was spotted on roads near Gigafactory Texas yesterday. It is a Model Y body with some Model 3 features.
It lacks the light bar that the new Model Y has and instead equips headlights similar to those of the Model 3 “Highland.”
Affordable Tesla Model Y spotted without camouflage near Giga Texas
Other design changes appear to include no glass roof and new wheels. Some rumors have also indicated that Tesla plans to use a cheaper, textile interior, devoid of the flashy features that its other cars are equipped with, including no rear screen, no HEPA system, and manually adjustable second-row air vents.
However, coding within the Tesla website seemed to reveal some pretty significant details about the new affordable model, including its name, which differs from the E41 codename it was given, its price, and a complete list of features.
This was found by Tesla Newswire on X. Here’s what the coding showed for the car. Note that this was found in coding, and is not necessarily confirmation from Tesla regarding what it plans to offer:
- Name – Model Y Standard
- Price $39,990
- Redesigned front fascia
- Single-part headlights
- Front bumper camera
- No glass roof, noted as a “closed glass roof”
- 18″ Aperture wheels
- Manually adjustable steering wheel
- Textile décor
- 15.4″ front touchscreen
- No second-row touchscreen
- Manually adjustable air vents in the second row
- No HEPA system
- 75 cu. fu. cargo space
Here’s what the coding looked like:
Extract 2:
“interior_features”:{“basic”:[{“type”:”title”,”content”:”Interior”},{“type”:”basic[0]”,”content”:”Closed glass roof”},{“type”:”basic[2]”,”content”:”Second-row manual-adjust air vents”},{“type”:”basic[3]”,”content”:”Manual-adjust steering…
— The Tesla Newswire (@TeslaNewswire) October 1, 2025
Many believe these could be the specs and details of the new affordable model, but others think Tesla might be baiting the community. Tesla knows its fans well, and many of them are sharp enough to examine some of the core portions of its website, looking for clues.
The company is well aware that these breadcrumbs will be discovered, and could be putting anything to drive up interest and chatter about what it could release. It certainly seems as if the price tag is a tad high, which tends to push some skepticism about the coding.
However, we’ll take anything we can get at this point. It is important to note that this coding is not a confirmation of details from Tesla.
News
Affordable Tesla Model Y spotted without camouflage near Giga Texas
The vehicle had clean lines and it looked sleek, though it was also notably simpler than the standard Model Y.

The tea leaves seem to be pointing towards the imminent release of the highly anticipated affordable Tesla Model Y. This was hinted at in recent observations from notable Tesla influencers on social media, as well as a sighting of the vehicle without any camouflage.
The affordable Tesla uncovered
Sightings of the affordable Model Y have been abounding as of late, though details of the vehicle were still hidden by coverings on the vehicle. In a recent post on X from Firefly engineer Ryan Mable, however, noted Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt has reportedly “spotted an uncovered cheaper Model Y variant” driving near Giga Texas.
Several images of the uncovered vehicle were shared online. Based on the photos that were shared by Mable, the affordable Model Y seemed to feature a fascia that’s inspired by the Model 3 sedan. Its roof also looked blacked out. Overall, the vehicle had clean lines and it looked sleek, though it was also notably simpler than the standard Model Y.
Tesla influencer mystery
Interestingly enough, several Tesla influencers apart from Merritt posted that they were in Giga Texas. These included drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, teardown specialist Sandy Munro, and reviewers Kyle Conner and Kim Java. These influencers have not provided any context behind their Giga Texas trip, though the fact that they were gathered on the site brought speculations that Tesla might have invited the group for a teaser or a private unveiling event of sorts.
It remains to be seen when the affordable Model Y would be made available, though conversations now are centered on the vehicle’s potential price. Previous reports suggested that the car might be priced just below $40,000, which many believe would result in very low sales, though some have also speculated that the affordable Model Y could be priced below $35,000, which would likely make it a strong seller.
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Why Tesla’s Q4 performance could shock many after incredible Q3
There is still some residual impact to be felt as we enter Q4, and there is a potential shock coming to many investors as it could be stronger than what many think:

Tesla reported vehicle deliveries and energy deployments for the third quarter of 2025 today, blowing analyst estimations from Wall Street firms completely out of the water with its strongest three-month performance in company history.
The strong performance, which resulted in nearly half a million vehicle deliveries in the quarter, was largely driven by the momentum of the EV tax credit, which expired at the end of September, marking the end of the $7,500 discount that was previously available.
Tesla hits record vehicle deliveries and energy deployments in Q3 2025
This was a massive contributor to Tesla’s record-high in vehicle deliveries, as consumers rushed to take advantage of the credit.
There is still some residual impact to be felt as we enter Q4, and there is a potential shock coming to many investors as it could be stronger than what many think:
EV Tax Credit Deliveries Will Continue Through Q4
Despite the credit’s expiration, people will still be able to take advantage of it because the IRS changed the rules mid-quarter.
Prospective buyers can utilize the credit after September 30 if they place an order for an EV and make a marginal payment on the car.
Tesla’s $250 order deposit qualified as the marginal payment, so as long as the order was submitted before the end of the day on September 30, they could still take delivery in Q4 or even Q1 and still take advantage of the credit.
With the Model Y Performance launching in the U.S. on September 30, that undoubtedly contributed to some orders. However, there are likely many people who ordered in the latter portion of Q3 and have not yet taken delivery. These will all contribute to Q4 delivery figures.
Seasonal Holiday Boost
Tesla traditionally has its strongest quarters in Q4, as the company typically introduces initiatives such as price cuts, incentives, and other offers to close out the year strong.
Car buyers are more likely to jump at these offers as well, as gifts for either themselves or others. What Tesla does in the final quarter of the year is usually boosted by whatever types of offers it can make.
Affordable Model Production Ramp
Tesla is likely preparing for the launch of its affordable model, which is essentially a stripped-down Model Y.
Some rumors have been circulating within the community, indicating that the company is nearing the sale of this vehicle, which is coded within Tesla’s website as the “Model Y Standard.”
🚨 Looks like some coding was found on Tesla’s website that seems to hint the affordable Model Y is coming:
-Named “Model Y Standard”
-$39,990 starting priceInitial thoughts: this is completely unconfirmed, but was really hoping Tesla would get this closer to $30,000 https://t.co/RDR0ypQHB3
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 1, 2025
If Tesla is able to lock in some good pricing on its affordable model, Tesla could see its quarterly figures return to QoQ growth, something that the company has not had in a few years.
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