India Launches Five Pilot Projects for Hydrogen-Powered Buses and Trucks Under National Green Hydrogen Mission

New Delhi: In a significant step toward clean energy and sustainable transportation, the Government of India has sanctioned five pilot projects to deploy hydrogen-powered buses and trucks under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). These projects will see 37 hydrogen-powered vehicles operating across ten key transport routes in the country, with the aim of evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of hydrogen-based mobility solutions.

The initiative will introduce 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles. These vehicles will be tested on major 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, and NH-16 Visakhapatnam-Bayyavaram. To support these pilot projects, nine hydrogen refueling stations will be set up at key locations along these routes, ensuring the infrastructure required for smooth operations.

The government has allocated ₹208 crore for these projects, with major industry players such as Tata Motors Ltd, Reliance Industries Limited, NTPC, ANERT, Ashok Leyland, HPCL, BPCL, and IOCL participating in the deployment of vehicles and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. These companies will play a crucial role in facilitating the transition to hydrogen-powered mobility, supporting India’s vision of a sustainable and self-reliant transport sector.

Launched on January 4, 2023, the National Green Hydrogen Mission has a budget of ₹19,744 crore up to FY 2029-30. The mission aims to reduce fossil fuel dependence, promote clean energy solutions, and position India as a global leader in Green Hydrogen technology. The pilot projects, expected to be operational within the next 18-24 months, will assess the technical feasibility, economic viability, and safety of hydrogen-powered vehicles in real-world conditions. Successful implementation of these projects is expected to pave the way for a broader rollout of hydrogen-based transportation across the country.