Tata Motors, RIL Join Pilot Project to Test Hydrogen-Powered Buses and Trucks.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has approved five pilot projects to test hydrogen-powered buses and trucks, with participation from Tata Motors, Reliance Industries (RIL), Ashok Leyland, and other key industry players.

Part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, these projects aim to assess the feasibility of hydrogen as a fuel in India’s transport sector. The Ministry had earlier issued guidelines and invited proposals for hydrogen-powered vehicles, routes, and refueling stations.

According to MNRE, the approved pilot projects will involve 37 hydrogen-powered vehicles—15 fuel cell-based and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based trucks and buses—along with nine hydrogen refueling stations. The vehicles will operate on ten routes, including Delhi–Agra, Pune–Mumbai, Ahmedabad–Surat, Jamshedpur–Kalinga Nagar, and Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi.

State-run entities such as NTPC, HPCL, BPCL, IOCL, and ANERT are also part of the initiative. The Central government will provide ₹208 crore in financial support, with the pilot projects expected to be operational in the next 18-24 months.

The mission aims to develop commercially viable hydrogen technologies and assess their safety, technical feasibility, and economic viability under real-world conditions. These pilot projects will play a crucial role in scaling up hydrogen adoption in India's transport sector, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future.

HBL