The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has launched five pilot projects to test hydrogen-powered buses and trucks in India. These pilots are part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aimed at encouraging the use of hydrogen in the transport sector.
Vehicle and Route Details
A total of 37 vehicles will be tested—15 using hydrogen fuel cells and 22 using hydrogen internal combustion engines. The trials will take place across 10 routes, including:
- Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra
- Bhubaneswar–Konark–Puri
- Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Surat
- Sahibabad–Faridabad–Delhi
- Pune–Mumbai
- Jamshedpur–Kalinga Nagar
- Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi
- Kochi–Edappally
- Jamnagar–Ahmedabad
- NH-16 Visakhapatnam–Bayyavaram
Refueling Infrastructure
Nine hydrogen refueling stations will be set up to support the pilot projects. These stations are crucial to test and validate the feasibility of operating hydrogen vehicles on Indian roads.
Key Industry Participants
The government has awarded the pilot projects to major companies, including:
- Reliance Industries
- NTPC
- ANERT
- TATA Motors
- Ashok Leyland
- HPCL
- BPCL
- IOCL
Budget and Timeline
The total budget allocated for these projects is ₹208 crore. All pilots are expected to be operational within the next 18 to 24 months.
Goals of the Initiative
The objective is to test the technical performance, safety, and real-world feasibility of hydrogen-powered vehicles. These pilots will also help assess the economic viability of hydrogen technologies and lay the groundwork for broader adoption in India’s transport sector.
