Tata Motors has launched trials of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks in India, marking a step towards sustainable long-haul transportation. The trial was flagged off by Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in the presence of government officials and representatives from Tata Motors.
The trial, funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aims to evaluate the feasibility of hydrogen-powered vehicles for freight transport. Tata Motors was awarded the tender for the project, which will also support the development of the required infrastructure for hydrogen mobility.
The trial will run for up to 24 months and involve 16 hydrogen-powered trucks with different configurations and payload capacities. These vehicles, equipped with Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE) and Fuel Cell (H2-FCEV) technologies, will be tested on major freight routes, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Surat, Vadodara, Jamshedpur, and Kalinganagar.
Speaking at the launch, Nitin Gadkari stated, "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 trial includes various vehicle models, such as the Tata Prima H.55S prime movers, featuring both H2-ICE and FCEV technologies, along with the Tata Prima H.28 H2-ICE truck. These vehicles offer an operational range of 300-500 km and incorporate driver-assist safety features designed to enhance efficiency and reduce fatigue.
Tata Motors has been actively developing alternative fuel technologies, including battery electric, CNG, LNG, hydrogen internal combustion, and hydrogen fuel cells. The company has previously deployed 15 Hydrogen FCEV buses in India as part of an earlier initiative.