The US-based engine manufacturer sees the strong interest in hydrogen fuel in India as a way to advance its own net zero transition
27 Feb 2025 | 4643 Views | By Ketan Thakkar & Kiran Murali & Prerna Lidhoo
As the global transportation sector shifts towards sustainable mobility, one of the companies betting big on hydrogen playing a central role in the future of long-distance transportation is Cummins Inc. The company sees hydrogen fuel cells as the ultimate solution for heavy-duty trucks, while cleaner diesel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), ...
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As the global transportation sector shifts towards sustainable mobility, one of the companies betting big on hydrogen playing a central role in the future of long-distance transportation is Cummins Inc. The company sees hydrogen fuel cells as the ultimate solution for heavy-duty trucks, while cleaner diesel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) serve as immediate, lower-emission alternatives.
"We are witnessing strong global interest in hydrogen technology, and India is leading the way—both in terms of hydrogen production and policy-driven adoption," said Jane Beaman, Vice President for Global On-Highway and Pickup Business at Cummins Inc.
Why Hydrogen?
While battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are gaining popularity in passenger cars, two-wheelers, and small commercial vehicles, electrifying heavy-duty trucks remains challenging due to the size of the batteries required to support the large distances and heavy payloads that bigger trucks are called upon to negotiate. Hence, both industry leaders and policymakers recognise hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) as a clean, efficient alternative for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles (MHCVs).
When produced from renewable sources, hydrogen becomes a zero-emission fuel, making it a game-changer for long-haul trucking. “We don’t see battery technology becoming the dominant solution for commercial vehicles anytime soon due to its inherent challenges. It may work well for light commercial vehicles (LCVs) under 5–7 tonnes. Alternative fuels will be necessary for larger trucks,” said Nitin Jirafe, Vice President for Engine Business at Cummins India, and Managing Director of Tata Cummins Pvt Ltd.
Cummins and Hydrogen
Over the past few years, Cummins has invested approximately $1.4 billion in developing cleaner diesel engines and alternative fuel solutions. The company sees the hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) as an intermediary technology that will help set in place the infrastructure required for wider adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology.
“I believe hydrogen is a viable bridge to fuel cells. The hydrogen ICE (internal combustion engine) serves as a strong intermediary technology, allowing the industry to leverage existing combustion engine familiarity while simultaneously building expertise and scale in hydrogen infrastructure. From an Indian perspective, LNG is an immediate alternative bridge, as it is a low-hanging fruit in the energy transition," said Jirafe.
HELM is designed to adapt to evolving fuel mix requirements. Beaman said rapid progress has been made on the platform since its concept was introduced at Bharat Mobility in 2023. “What excites us the most about HELM is its multi-fuel capability. While we have focused much on hydrogen, this platform can also run on diesel and natural gas.
Flexing between fuel types is crucial, especially in an environment with limited development dollars. No company has enough funding to develop multiple technologies simultaneously,” Beaman explained. By modifying the upper half of the powertrain, Cummins can quickly configure LNG, hydrogen, and diesel-powered solutions within its fuel-agnostic HELM platform. Jirafe stated that the new platform will deliver the same power and torque as its diesel engines, even when using LNG or hydrogen alternatives.
Meanwhile, Jirafe acknowledged that while the company has made a strong start in H2-ICE, mainstream technology adoption will take time, with success depending on the development of the required infrastructure. Additionally, localising hydrogen technology to make it more accessible will require time due to currently limited production volumes, he noted.
“We need to focus on making this technology affordable for our industry. We need support from the government, similar to a FAME scheme for Hydrogen. That’s how we can make the technology affordable for end customers and kickstart the transition,” he concluded. Cummins foresees multiple transition pathways emerging on the road to Net Zero, with solutions varying across different industry segments. It is preparing to launch new products under its HELM series, including a natural gas version.
While Cummins will continue selling its signature 6.7-liter engine, the US powertrain specialist plans to introduce two new variants—8.5-liter and 10-liter engines—designed for deep mining applications. “We already introduced natural gas engines in 2024, and we are seeing an uptick in demand,” Jirafe said.
Additionally, he mentioned that hydrogen trials are expected to commence soon through MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), and are set to shape the roadmap for the next couple of years. As for battery adoption in commercial vehicles (CVs), it will take time, except light commercial vehicles (LCVs), he said: “For heavy and medium commercial vehicle applications, we foresee a transition from LNG to hydrogen over time.
However, this bridge to hydrogen will be a long one.” Meanwhile, to strengthen its hydrogen storage solutions, Cummins globally entered a 50-50 joint venture with NPROXX, a German company specialising in hydrogen storage and transportation, in late 2020. The company plans to introduce this carbon-fiber tank technology to India, offering Type 4 hydrogen storage tanks in 350-bar and 700-bar variants.
India and Hydrogen The Indian automotive industry is looking towards hydrogen fuel cells as the long-term solution for trucks and buses—particularly those used in long-haul applications. According to Beaman, India is currently the most active market in hydrogen adoption, both in terms of production capabilities and policydriven incentives.
“India is definitely number one regarding hydrogen interest, followed by Europe. Europe had the first Hydrogen Council, which was instrumental in drafting policies. Recently, North America formed its own Hydrogen Council, of which Cummins is a founding member, to push legislation further,” she explained.
Last year, Ashok Leyland and Reliance Industries introduced India’s first hydrogen ICE-powered heavy-duty truck while Tata Motors delivered the first hydrogen fuel cellpowered buses to Indian Oil Corp. In 2023, India launched its ambitious National Green Hydrogen Mission to boost the production, use, and export of green hydrogen. It supports the use of green hydrogen as a fuel in buses, trucks and four-wheelers using either the fuel cell technology or internal combustion engine technology.
The mission also targets a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030. India is Cummins’ second-largest development hub after China, with more than 60% of its engineers working on global programs, including its hydrogen efforts.
“I think of India in terms of its wealth of talent. Our engineers and teams are brilliant. My vision for India, which holds immense promise and potential, is to support our global R&D centers,” said Beaman. The country is not only leading Cummins’ R&D efforts for the hydrogen engine, but is also one of its launch markets. “It is where we are launching, developing, and producing our first hydrogen engine—before any other market. That is quite significant,” Beaman said, adding that it will also serve as the sole global supplier.
“It’s not just about making in India for India. It’s about making in India for both India and the world,” Beaman emphasised. TCPL Green Energy Solutions Private Limited (TCPL GES)—a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Cummins Private Limited (TCPL)—has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Jamshedpur for hydrogenbased internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) for medium and heavy commercial vehicles and other low- to zero-emission technologies.
In addition to working on hydrogen powertrains, Cummins India is also designing allied components and subsystems, including Type 4 hydrogen fuel tanks. Beaman pointed out that with the next round of emission regulations, including Euro 7, and BS 7, converging in terms of timing and requirements, India has the potential to contribute to numerous global projects. She is refering to the next set of emission regulations as Global 7, with various global markets implementing the Stage 7 standards almost simultaneously.
“These regulations used to be spaced about 10 years apart, but now they are much closer together. We are looking at global platforms, developing and producing those global products in India—a first for Cummins on this scale. We are working on multiple platforms that will serve five or six different regions globally, all developed in India. That’s quite significant,” Beaman further noted.
Jirafe believes that India will be ready with the solution ahead of time, despite the timelines for India’s regulatory framework yet to be finalised. With India emerging as a global leader in hydrogen production and policy, the country can drive the transition toward sustainable heavy transport solutions.
However, Beaman noted that industry efforts alone would not be enough to drive hydrogen adoption: “As you know, we can’t do this alone. Adoption will take time, and we need significant investment in infrastructure and scale. Without that, it’s difficult to make hydrogen viable.”
Future of Diesel
The North American engine specialist will start developing the Global 7 Engine platform in India. The engine is expected to launch between 2028 and 2029. Jirafe highlighted the company’s investments in diesel technology, enhancing efficiency while delivering higher power and torque.
“While we continue improving diesel technology to make it cleaner and more efficient, we must also invest in future-ready technologies. This is the concept reflected in our innovations,” he said, highlighting Cummins’ belief that the path to Net Zero will be varied and long, with different timelines for different regions, markets, customers, and applications.
“If you had asked me a few years ago about the transition timeline, I would have said ‘sooner rather than later’,” noted Beaman. “But today, it’s clear that diesel will continue to play a role for longer than expected. At a mobility show in Germany last September, we started hearing the term ‘diesel revival.’ More people are talking about cleaner diesel and fossil fuels again, simply because businesses need practical and cost-effective solutions.”
She pointed out that total cost of ownership remains a critical factor for customers, affecting the pace of new technology adoption: “Until we achieve scale and reduce costs, adoption of hydrogen and other alternatives will remain slow. Without government support in building infrastructure, costs won’t come down, and without lower costs, scale won’t be achieved. It’s a classic chicken-and-egg situation…Our Destination Zero strategy is not about choosing one technology over another but rather remaining technology-agnostic—supporting all alternative fuels while continuing to improve diesel.”