By Mahesh P, Vice President – Engines R&D, Ashok Leyland
As India pursues ambitious climate goals while sustaining rapid economic growth, the challenge of decarbonising road freight has come into sharp focus. Among the many solutions being explored, green hydrogen is emerging as one of the most promising options for long-haul commercial transport, particularly where batteries may struggle to meet operational demands.
The backbone of Indian economy
India moves on its roads. From agricultural produce and industrial raw materials to e-commerce deliveries and manufactured goods, road transport forms the backbone of the country’s logistics network. Today, roads account for nearly 78 per cent of passenger movement and about 66 per cent of freight transport demand, making them the dominant mode of transportation across the country.
As industrialisation, urbanisation and digital commerce continue to expand, freight demand is expected to increase substantially. Commercial vehicles, especially medium- and heavy-duty trucks, are indispensable to keeping supply chains running efficiently. However, this economic dependence on road transport comes with a significant environmental cost.
Why freight decarbonisation matters
Transportation contributes roughly 20 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions, making it one of the most critical sectors for decarbonisation. Road transport is responsible for the majority of these emissions, with diesel-powered trucks forming the largest share of commercial freight operations. Diesel continues to power more than 90 per cent of Indian trucks, creating a substantial challenge for India’s net-zero ambitions and energy security objectives.
While vehicle efficiency improvements and stricter fuel economy regulations can help, achieving meaningful emissions reductions will require a transition towards alternative fuels and low-carbon propulsion technologies. Battery-based electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to play a major role, especially in urban and regional operations. Yet electrifying heavy-duty long-haul transportation is far more complex. Large battery packs increase vehicle weight, reduce payload capacity and require significant charging infrastructure investments.
This is where green hydrogen enters the picture.
The hydrogen advantage
Green hydrogen as a transport fuel can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while reducing dependence on imported petroleum. Unlike batteries, hydrogen stores a large amount of energy by weight and can be refuelled relatively quickly. This combination of range and rapid refuelling makes hydrogen particularly attractive for applications where downtime directly affects profitability. Potential applications include long-haul interstate freight vehicles, heavy-duty tractor-trailers, mining and industrial logistics fleets, port transportation operations, intercity and overnight buses, construction and off-highway equipment, and other high-utilisation commercial fleets. Recognising this potential, the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) identified heavy commercial vehicles and long-distance transportation as priority sectors for hydrogen deployment.
Two pathways to hydrogen mobility
Hydrogen-powered transportation can evolve through two distinct technological pathways: hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and hydrogen internal combustion engines.
Fuel cells: The zero-emission route
Hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) generate electricity onboard by converting hydrogen into electrical energy. The technology offers high efficiency, rapid refuelling and zero tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions. For long-haul freight operations where uptime and range are paramount, fuel-cell trucks offer compelling advantages. They avoid the need for extremely large batteries while maintaining payload capacity and operational flexibility. However, fuel-cell systems rely on expensive stacks, sophisticated power electronics and specialised materials, making them relatively costly at present.
Hydrogen internal combustion engines: A pragmatic Indian solution
Another promising option for India is the hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE). Rather than generating electricity through a fuel cell, H2-ICE vehicles burn hydrogen in a modified internal combustion engine. The concept offers a significant advantage as it builds on decades of existing expertise in engine manufacturing, vehicle integration and servicing. For a country with a strong automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturing base, this continuity matters. Much of the existing ecosystem, including manufacturing facilities, supply chains and service networks, can continue to play a role in a hydrogen-powered future.
The key advantages of H2-ICE technology include potentially lower upfront vehicle costs, retention of established manufacturing capabilities, familiar maintenance practices and faster commercialisation potential. The technology also reduces dependence on battery minerals and fuel-cell materials while offering compatibility with existing heavy-duty vehicle platforms.
Leading Indian manufacturers are already taking significant steps in this direction. At Ashok Leyland, we have developed both hydrogen internal combustion trucks and hydrogen FCEVs, including projects with Reliance Industries and NTPC. Our hydrogen truck fleet has already accumulated more than 300,000 kms of road trials, demonstrating that diesel-like performance can be achieved using hydrogen as a fuel.
India’s emerging hydrogen mobility ecosystem
Hydrogen mobility is no longer confined to laboratories and conference presentations. Pilot projects are increasingly appearing across India. Government-supported initiatives under the NGHM now include hydrogen-powered trucks and buses. Mining logistics, freight corridors and intercity bus routes are emerging as early candidates for commercial deployment because of their predictable operating patterns and centralised refuelling opportunities.
These early pilots are important because they address one of the most pressing questions facing fleet operators: Can the technology work reliably under commercial conditions? The initial results suggest that it can. The next challenge is making it economically viable at scale.
Challenges to large-scale adoption
Despite the growing interest in hydrogen mobility, significant hurdles remain, particularly in terms of cost, infrastructure availability, technical requirements and ecosystem readiness.
Cost competitiveness
Green hydrogen remains more expensive than conventional transport fuels. Production costs, storage infrastructure, compression systems and dispensing equipment all contribute to higher fuel prices. Achieving cost competitiveness will require cheaper renewable electricity, improved electrolyser technology and better infrastructure utilisation.
Refuelling infrastructure
Hydrogen vehicles are only as useful as the stations that fuel them. India will need a coordinated network of production facilities, transport systems and refuelling stations before hydrogen-powered trucking can scale nationally. Corridor-focused deployment along major freight routes is widely seen as the most practical approach.
Technical and safety considerations
Hydrogen introduces new engineering considerations. High-pressure storage systems require advanced tank technology, while engines and components must be designed to manage challenges such as hydrogen embrittlement, pre-ignition, backfire and specialised fuel-injection requirements. Stringent safety systems, leak detection mechanisms and operational protocols are also essential.
Ecosystem readiness
Beyond the vehicles themselves, successful deployment depends on standards, regulations, skilled technicians, financing mechanisms and supplier readiness. Building a functioning hydrogen ecosystem will require collaboration among vehicle manufacturers, energy providers, infrastructure developers and policymakers.
Not a “winner-takes-all” future
A common misconception is that hydrogen and batteries are competing for a single future. The reality is likely to be different. India’s transport transition will probably be technology-specific rather than technology-exclusive. Battery-based EVs are likely to dominate urban delivery applications, depot-based fleets and short-haul transportation. Meanwhile, hydrogen could carve out a strong position in long-haul trucking, mining logistics, heavy-duty freight movement and intercity bus operations, where range and rapid refuelling are essential.
Biofuels, compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas are also expected to continue playing transitional roles in selected applications. The future of commercial transportation is therefore more likely to be a diversified energy ecosystem than a single-fuel marketplace.
The road ahead
The question will no longer be whether hydrogen can power commercial vehicles. The technology has already demonstrated that it can. The real question is whether India can build the infrastructure, supply chains and economic conditions necessary to support widespread adoption.
If hydrogen costs decline, refuelling corridors emerge and pilot projects translate into commercial deployments, hydrogen could become a powerful complement to electrification in India’s transport sector. In particular, H2-ICE technology offers a significant opportunity for India by combining clean energy ambitions with the country’s existing strengths in engine design, manufacturing and servicing.
For a country seeking economic growth, energy security and climate responsibility simultaneously, hydrogen may not be the only answer, but it could become an important part of the solution.
