US man shows what it's actually like to refuel a hydrogen car and reveals how long it takes to fill up completely
Published on Jun 21, 2026 at 7:49 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jun 21, 2026 at 7:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
This Toyota Mirai owner in the US wanted to show critics how long it takes to fill up the tank of a hydrogen car, and the result is impressive.
Hydrogen cars are not as popular as battery electric cars, but there are a few advantages.
When it comes to charging times, BEVs can’t compete.
However, the situation is a bit more complicated than that.
The two biggest problems with hydrogen cars
A lot of people and some automakers believe that hydrogen cars are better than battery electric cars.
It’s a catch-22 situation, though.
Hydrogen cars aren’t being developed as quickly as BEVs because they aren’t being funded, and they aren’t being funded because they aren’t being developed as quickly.
Would that change if automakers showed more progress? No one knows.
Would automakers show more progress with more funding? No one knows.
The problem is that from the very first phase of mining resources to the moment a battery electric car is crushed and recycled, the process is rapidly scaling.
We know the financial and environmental costs, and we know we’re making progress.
By contrast, hydrogen cars are still niche, with only a few production models available, including the Toyota Mirai you see here, and that’s mainly for two main reasons.
One, they’re more expensive to make; and two, they’re more complicated to make.
In principle, building batteries is something we know, but harvesting hydrogen and storing it into highly-pressurized tanks and turning that into fuel is a process we still haven’t mastered.
And it’s still very expensive.
“I got 99 problems but filling time ain’t one”
Jay-Z once famously sang that he had 99 problems but – you know what – ain’t one.
We’re fairly confident the American rapper doesn’t drive a hydrogen car, but, if he did, filling time wouldn’t be a problem.
Whatever else may be wrong or complicated, filling up a tank of hydrogen is super fast.
Today, with years of progress behind us, we call it a good result when we get from 20 percent charge to 80 percent charge in 15 or 20 minutes.
With hydrogen cars, as demonstrated by Kyle, aka Out of Spec Reviews, you can probably fill up two or three times in 15 minutes.
And not from 20 to 80 but from 0 to a full tank.
Refueling his Toyota Mirai takes approximately four minutes and 30 seconds from empty to full, significantly faster than electric vehicle charging.
Depending on the size of the tank, that’s roughly the same time it takes to fill up a tank with gas.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
