Government targets at least 1,000 hydrogen trucks, buses on roads by 2030

The government aims to bring over 1,000 hydrogen-powered trucks and buses into commercial use by 2030, with nearly 50 vehicles expected to be operational by the end of 2025, according to the Director of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Mr. Abhay Bakre. Speaking at a Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers event, he highlighted the growing role of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as a viable alternative to internal combustion engines and a complementary solution alongside electric vehicles. However, he noted the limited availability of green hydrogen due to high capital expenditure and significant requirements for renewable power, land, and water, particularly in refineries.
To overcome infrastructure challenges, the government plans to install hydrogen refuelling stations every 200 km, beginning with pilot projects in 10 short corridors of 100–200 km, with longer corridors such as Delhi–Mumbai under consideration. The strategy includes decentralised hydrogen production using biogas to ensure affordability. The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in January 2023 with an outlay of Rs. 19,744 crore (US$ 2.30 billion) until 2030, has allocated Rs. 496 crore (US$ 57.79 million) for mobility pilots in FY26. The mission also covers pilot projects in steel, shipping, decentralised energy, hydrogen from biomass, and storage. While no hydrogen cars are yet available in the Indian market, multiple automakers have shown interest. Hydrogen use is also being explored in aviation and shipping to reduce fossil fuel dependency and accelerate the shift to clean mobility.

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