The first man to take delivery of the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. During a ceremony on January 15 in Tokyo, Toyota president Akio Toyoda delivered the first Mirai fuel cell sedan to the high-ranking state official.

“This is a historic step and I’m truly excited. This will be a long journey, and to make this first step truly historic we will all need to work together,” Akio Toyoda said during the event.

The Japanese Prime Minister added that the event represented the dawn of the age of hydrogen. Shinzo Abe took the Mirai for a spin outside the Japanese government’s building and said he was impressed with it.

“The vehicle accelerates well and it truly quiet and comfortable. I would like all government agencies to start using them,” the Prime Minister said. It appears that has already started happening, as 60 percent of the 1,500 orders received by Toyota in the first month of sale came from government agencies.

The Mirai is priced from 7,236,000 yen (approximately $62,150) in Japan, including consumption tax. The vehicle’s fuel cell stack system combines hydrogen gas from tanks with oxygen to produce electricity that powers a 113kW (152hp) electric motor driving the front wheels. The tanks can be refueled in about five minutes offering a range of up to 300 miles or 483 km.

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