India will potentially deploy 400-500 hydrogen-powered buses on its roads by the end of 2030, as the government steps up efforts to decarbonise the heavy mobility sector, said Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission, under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
While speaking at the S&P Global Horizons Clean Energy Expansion India 2026 summit at New Delhi on Thursday, Bakre stated that nearly 45-50 commercial heavy vehicles are expected to begin trials by the end of this year.
According to Bakra, 70 buses and heavy-duty trucks, with payload capacities ranging from 20 tonnes to 55 tonnes, have been sanctioned for extensive trials over the next two years.
Infrastructure to enable commercial hydrogen mobility is also being developed, with more than six hydrogen fueling stations operational and trails being planned on more than 20 highways, he said.
“The operating cost of a diesel bus versus a hydrogen bus will be very almost at par in the next 2 to 3 years,” said.
The mission director also mentioned that domestic green hydrogen production can help decrease the reliance on imported molecules by converting locally generated renewable electricity into clean hydrogen.
