Ezi Car Rental – Driving a new era of hydrogen-powered travel

For most New Zealanders, hydrogen vehicles remain a technology they have heard about but never experienced first-hand. Ezi Car Rental saw an opportunity to change that, giving business travellers the chance to get behind the wheel themselves.

Working with Toyota New Zealand and Hiringa Energy, Ezi Car Rental introduced three Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles at its Palmerston North Airport branch. Offered through a trusted rental platform, the pilot lets eligible corporate customers experience hydrogen mobility first-hand and complete business journeys with zero tailpipe emissions. At the same time, it is giving the partners valuable real-world insight into customer demand and the practicalities of operating a hydrogen rental fleet.

“This pilot is about more than adding a new vehicle to our fleet. It is an opportunity to learn directly from customers and day-to-day operations, while showing how collaboration can help bring emerging transport technology into practical use.” — Anthony Kearns, CEO at Ezi Car Rental

Taking hydrogen out of the showroom

Toyota has operated Mirai vehicles in New Zealand since 2022, but opportunities to drive one have been limited. For Ezi Car Rental, the challenge was not simply making the cars available but creating an experience that made unfamiliar technology feel practical and easy to use.

Customers receive the vehicles fuelled and ready to drive, with Ezi Car Rental’s Palmerston North Airport team managing refuelling on their behalf. Every Mirai rental is a journey completed with zero tailpipe emissions. As uptake grows, so too will the cumulative emissions reduction delivered through the pilot.

Turning the idea into a working rental offer required each partner to bring a different part of the solution. A dedicated working group coordinated vehicle readiness, booking processes, staff training, operational requirements, refuelling logistics, communications and the launch.

The nearby Hiringa Energy hydrogen station made Palmerston North a practical place to begin. Ezi Car Rental’s airport team was trained to manage and refuel the vehicles safely on customers’ behalf, while regular meetings helped the partners work through each stage of bringing the pilot to life.

Making the unfamiliar feel straightforward

As New Zealand’s first hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle rental pilot, there was no established model to follow. Ezi Car Rental needed to equip its airport team to manage and refuel the vehicles safely, while giving customers, stakeholders and media clear information about how the technology works and the safety measures in place.

Making the Mirai accessible through a simple and attractive rental offer was another important consideration. By including hydrogen fuel in the rental rate, the partners reduced complexity for customers and made it easier for more people to experience the technology first-hand

The rental experience also had to work within the existing hydrogen infrastructure. Ezi Car Rental worked closely with Hiringa Energy on station readiness and refuelling logistics, while careful planning, staff training and clear customer communications helped make the process straightforward for customers.

Learning from every journey

The pilot creates a point of difference for Ezi Car Rental and gives customers a low-barrier way to experience hydrogen technology. It is also generating customer and operational insights that can inform future opportunities.

Ezi Car Rental and its partners are tracking bookings and vehicle use, customer feedback, operational learnings, media coverage and new customer registrations. These insights will help the partners assess customer interest, operational requirements and the potential for future hydrogen mobility applications. Early feedback has been positive, with one surveyed customer describing the Mirai as a “very cool car”.

The launch also generated strong interest from major national and automotive media, raising awareness of New Zealand’s first hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle rental pilot and helping position Palmerston North and Manawatū as a region for hydrogen innovation.

The pilot is still at an early stage, but it has already shown the value of letting customers experience new technology first-hand. It provides practical information that can guide future decisions and offers a model that could be replicated as alternative-fuel transport solutions evolve.

The partners have identified opportunities to explore hydrogen vehicles for corporate and commercial fleets and strengthen partnerships across New Zealand’s developing hydrogen ecosystem. For other tourism businesses, the lesson is simple: a focused pilot can make unfamiliar technology tangible, reveal practical challenges and build evidence for what comes next.

Take the next step on carbon reduction

Ezi Car Rental’s pilot shows how businesses can lead by being willing to test emerging technologies and explore new ways to reduce emissions. Akiaki’s Carbon Reduction course can help you identify similar opportunities in your own business. All 12 Akiaki: Advancing Tourism courses are free for TIA members.  Register today!