India begins Hydrogen truck trials as it drives towards a greener future

India began trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks on Tuesday in the presence of Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi.

Tata Motors initiated these trials on March 4, marking the country’s first step into hydrogen fuel for long-haul cargo vehicles.

This milestone aims to reduce emissions in long-haul freight transport and promote sustainable mobility.

Gadkari said, “Hydrogen is the fuel of the future with immense potential to transform India’s transportation sector by reducing emissions and enhancing energy self-reliance. Such initiatives will accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility in heavy-duty trucking and move us closer to an efficient, low-carbon future. I congratulate Tata Motors for taking the lead in this significant step towards enabling hydrogen-powered green and smart transportation.”

The trial phase will last up to 24 months and involves deploying 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with different configurations and payload capacities. These trucks, equipped with Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE) and Fuel Cell (H2-FCEV) technologies, will be tested on major freight routes, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Surat, Vadodara, Jamshedpur, and Kalinganagar.

This initiative aligns with India’s broader green energy goals and the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aiming to evaluate the real-world feasibility of hydrogen-powered trucks while developing the necessary infrastructure for their large-scale adoption.

Tata Motors will use trucks with two types of hydrogen technology: Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (H2-FCEV). The models include the Tata Prima H.55S prime movers (available in both H2-ICE and FCEV versions) and the Tata Prima H.28 H2-ICE truck. These vehicles have a driving range of 300-500 km.