Trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks seen as significant step towards sustainable long-distance cargo transportation
In a landmark development towards India’s vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr Nitin Gadkari, and Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Mr Pralhad Joshi, flagged off the first-ever trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks launched by Tata Motors in New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr 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 historic trial, marks a significant step towards sustainable long-distance cargo transportation in the country, as Tata Motors underscores its commitment to leading the charge in sustainable mobility solutions, aligning with India’s broader green energy goals. The company was awarded the tender for this trial, which is funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. It marks a significant step forward in assessing the real-world commercial viability of using hydrogen-powered vehicles for long distance haulage as well as setting-up the requisite enabling infrastructure for their seamless operation.
The trial phase will span up to 24 months and involves deployment of 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with varying 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, informed a release.
Source: Exim News Service: New Delhi, March 6