Almost new Toyota Mirai for 18,000 euros: a smart buy if you live near a hydrogen station

Autoweek leads with a surprise: a virtually new Toyota Mirai hydrogen sedan, barely any kilometres on the clock, for around 18,000 euros. That is remarkably little for a premium sedan with a new price well over 60,000 euros. The piece mainly compares the Mirai with older Teslas and Volvos and stops there. The more interesting questions — why is this car so cheap, and who should actually consider it — deserve a more honest answer.

The tax history: more nuanced than often suggested

A persistent misconception is that hydrogen cars have lost their tax advantages. That is not quite the case. The very first battery-electric cars in the Netherlands enjoyed 0% company-car tax (bijtelling). When an additional surcharge was introduced above a certain list price, almost every hydrogen car automatically landed in that higher bracket — simply because a new Mirai or Nexo sits above that threshold. So hydrogen drivers never had a company-car tax advantage comparable to BEVs. What did apply: until the end of 2024, hydrogen cars were exempt from road tax. From 2025 onwards road tax is back, but with a 75% discount in 2025 and a 25% discount from 2026 through 2029.

So why are these cars so affordable?

The story behind these prices isn't a Dutch tax story — it's an international trade story. In the industry we hear that batches of Mirais are coming onto the market from a country where the brakes have been applied to hydrogen infrastructure. Importers and dealers buy these vehicles sharply and sell them on in the Dutch market. Classic supply and demand: buy low, sell fairly. For the buyer this creates an unusual opportunity — a virtually new premium hydrogen car for the price of a regular used car.

Refuelling in the Netherlands: a solid network

Another lingering image is that there are barely any hydrogen stations. The reality: the Netherlands now has more than 25 public hydrogen refuelling stations, spread across the country and growing. For anyone living or working near one, the Mirai is a fully fledged daily driver. Refuelling takes three to five minutes, range is 650 kilometres per fill-up, and only water vapour comes out of the tailpipe.

What do you get for 18,000 euros?

A spacious, comfortable and quiet sedan with premium equipment: leather, adaptive cruise control, a large infotainment screen and a drivetrain that brings it close to Lexus refinement. All for the kind of money you would spend on a used Tesla Model 3 or older Volvo. And perhaps most importantly: Toyota offers a warranty of up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometres, provided maintenance is carried out by a Toyota dealer or recognised repairer. That explicitly applies to used cars and to the fuel cell — exactly the component most buyers worry about.

Does it stack up financially?

Whether the Mirai works out cheaper than a comparable Volvo or Tesla depends on where you live, how many kilometres you drive and what you pay for electricity or hydrogen. The H2 Rijders cost calculator works that out in minutes. Honest disclosure: if you are chasing the lowest cost per kilometre full stop, a Tesla with free Supercharging — where it is still offered — is hard to beat. But buying a near-new car for 18,000 euros that runs more cheaply than a comparable petrol car is far from an everyday situation.

Our verdict

The Autoweek piece misses the most interesting angle. For anyone living near a hydrogen station, this is precisely the entry point into hydrogen driving we have been waiting for: a virtually new, reliable Toyota Mirai with a 10-year warranty, at a price that is suddenly within reach. That isn't a fire sale, that is simply a good deal. At H2 Rijders we wholeheartedly recommend this Mirai for the right driver in the right location.

Sources:

- Autoweek: this nearly new hydrogen sedan costs just 18,000 euros

- Toyota.nl: Mirai warranty up to 10 years or 200,000 km

- Toyota.nl: road tax for hydrogen vehicles 2025-2029

- H2 Rijders cost calculator

- AutoUncle.nl and AutoWereld.nl: current Toyota Mirai used-car listings