New Delhi: After rolling out public electric vehicle charging stations, India is now turning to green hydrogen fuel infrastructure along national highways.
As part of the government’s energy security push, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) will start a ₹600 crore pilot project on 10 select highway stretches to test fuelling and repair facilities for hydrogen-powered vehicles, according to two officials aware of the development.
It will evaluate whether sufficient green hydrogen supply can be ensured for commercial vehicles while also setting standards for fuelling stations and storage systems. The trials, to be conducted in different regions, will assess not just technical and supply-chain feasibility but also geographical and logistical challenges before the programme is rolled out nationwide, the people said.
The ministry is in talks with state-run refiners Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to develop hydrogen storage and fuelling stations along these stretches. The plan also includes incentives for steel and automobile manufacturers to develop prototypes of hydrogen vehicles and storage systems, said one of the officials, requesting anonymity.
Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles are expected to participate in the pilot, which will eventually be extended to all national highways, the second official said also requesting anonymity.
“The entire plan is being included in the Vision 2047 mission of MoRTH, and its implementation is expected to be completed over the next two to three years so that hydrogen highways become a reality,” said the second official.
Emails sent to the ministry, IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Tata Motors Ltd, Ashok Leyland Ltd, and Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd on Tuesday remained unanswered till press time.
Focus on hydrogen
The initiative aligns with India’s target of net-zero emissions by 2070 and follows the government’s ₹19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to produce at least 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
The government’s focus on hydrogen can diversify India’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions on roads, which contribute to about 12% of the country’s total emissions.
“This marks a positive first step toward diversifying green fuel options for transportation, preventing over-reliance on EVs. To make it truly effective, a clear master plan is needed to rapidly expand hydrogen infrastructure nationwide, as widespread access will be critical for the adoption of hydrogen-powered vehicles,” said Kuljit Singh, partner and national infrastructure leader, EY India.
Hydrogen highways are seen as a potential solution for long-haul freight and heavy-duty vehicles, where EVs face range and charging limitations.
“While green highways with EV infrastructure address the needs of passenger mobility and short-haul freight, hydrogen highways can cater to long-haul, heavy-duty commercial transport where battery limitations in range and charging times become bottlenecks. The proposed pilot projects will be critical in testing technical viability, cost economics, and safety protocols under Indian conditions before scaling up,” said Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, senior director and global head of consulting, Crisil Intelligence.
The efforts to bolster adoption of electric and hydrogen vehicles by creating viable infrastructure need not be mutually exclusive at a time when consumers are increasingly choosing new vehicles based on powertrains instead of other features, said Padmanabhan.
“This dual approach would give India flexibility as technology, costs, and energy sources evolve over the next decade,” he said.
Tata Motors Ltd, the country’s largest commercial vehicle maker by sales, had said in a statement in March this year that it had started testing 16 hydrogen-powered trucks on Indian highways. These vehicles run on hydrogen internal combustion engines or hydrogen fuel cells.
Hydrogen is currently in limited public use. State-run NTPC Ltd deployed hydrogen buses in Leh in June after opening its first hydrogen fuel station in the region in November 2024.
In FY25, 16 new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles were registered in the country, according to MoRTH’s Vahan registry, while only one unit was sold in the year.
Hydrogen is made by separating the water molecule using electrolysis. Green hydrogen is produced in the same process when renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, are used for electrolysis.
The technology is still at a very nascent stage. "The economics of green hydrogen vis-a-vis other competing fuels are not cogent enough to drive a strong demand as a vehicular fuel as of now. Nevertheless, setting up of infrastructure would enable seeding the market,” said Prashant Vasisht, senior vice president and co-group head, corporate ratings, Icra Ltd.
- The Indian government is investing ₹600 crore in a pilot project to establish hydrogen fuel infrastructure along highways
- It will evaluate whether sufficient green hydrogen supply can be ensured for commercial vehicles while also setting standards for fuelling stations and storage systems.
- Collaboration with major automakers is essential for developing prototypes and ensuring the feasibility of hydrogen-powered transportation.
- Hydrogen highways are seen as a potential solution for long-haul freight and heavy-duty vehicles, where EVs face range and charging limitations.