Tata Motors begins trials of hydrogen-powered trucks for long haul transportation
The trials will continue for 24 months and involve deployment of 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with different configurations and payload capacities
NEW DELHI: Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday flagged off the first-ever trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks launched by Tata Motors to assess their viability for long haul transportation solutions.
Gadkari, the road transport and highways minister, complimented the company for taking the lead in this significant step towards enabling hydrogen-powered green and smart transportation, “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,” he said.
Tata Motors was awarded the tender for this trial, which is funded by the ministry of new and renewable energy under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
The trial phase will continue for up to 24 months and involves deployment of 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with different configurations and payload capacities. These trucks, equipped with new age Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE) and Fuel Cell (H2-FCEV) technologies, will be tested on India’s most prominent freight routes, including those around Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Surat, Vadodara, Jamshedpur and Kalinganagar, a government statement said.
The first batch of three hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks will operate on the Faridabad–Delhi NCR and Ahmedabad–Surat–Vadodara routes.
Joshi, the new and renewable energy minister, said hydrogen was an important fuel for India’s transition to a sustainable and zero-carbon future. The launch of hydrogen-powered truck trials mark a radical shift in India’s mobility sector, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and enhancing energy security, he said.
Vehicular pollution is a significant contributor to PM 2.5 levels in urban areas. Diesel vehicles, a major chunk of which are heavy vehicles, in particular, are known to be major sources of PM 2.5 emissions due to their higher levels of particulate matter compared to petrol vehicles and other relatively cleaner fuels such as CNG. A 2016 study by Centre for Science and Environment and Shakti Foundation had found across India, trucks contribute about 66% of PM (particulate matter) pollution and 62% of NOx emissions.
