Green hydrogen buses: India has made bold commitments to decarbonise its transport sector. But ambition alone cannot drive change. It needs technology that is scalable, clean, and economically viable. With NTPC’s recent deployment of hydrogen fuel cell buses in Leh — the highest such operation in the world — the path to a zero-emission public transport future has become clearer. This is no longer a distant dream; the green hydrogen revolution is already underway. The question is whether policymakers will seize the moment to scale this innovation across India’s vast, polluted urban corridors and long-haul rural routes.
Green hydrogen, especially in public buses, offers a pragmatic, low-emission alternative that can replace diesel fleets without the limitations of battery electric vehicles. The case for adopting hydrogen-powered buses as the backbone of India’s future mobility is not merely compelling — it is now necessary.
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A blueprint for zero emission public transport
The NTPC’s pilot in Leh is a landmark initiative, not only because of the altitude — 3,650 meters above sea level — but because it demonstrates the technical feasibility of running hydrogen fuel cell buses in one of the harshest terrains on the planet. The five green hydrogen buses, each running up to 300 km on a single fill of 25 kg of hydrogen, are powered by hydrogen generated on-site using a 1.7 MW solar plant. This circular setup — renewable energy used to create green hydrogen, which then powers public transport — is a model worth replicating across India.
The environmental dividends are significant. The project is expected to save 350 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and generate 230 tonnes of oxygen as a by-product, equal to the benefit of planting 13,000 trees. Moreover, unlike battery electric buses, these vehicles avoid performance drops in extreme cold and high altitudes — factors that matter not just in Ladakh but in large parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Northeast.
This is not a one-off experiment. It is a proof-of-concept that could be scaled nationwide — provided policy incentives, infrastructure, and public-private partnerships are aligned.
Lessons from China, Europe, and the US
India is not alone in pursuing hydrogen mobility. Globally, the hydrogen bus market is poised to grow from $1.03 billion in 2024 to over $17.6 billion by 2035 — a CAGR of nearly 30%. Leading economies have placed hydrogen buses at the centre of their clean mobility transition. China has committed to deploying 50,000 hydrogen buses by 2035, supported by large subsidies and dedicated infrastructure. The European Union, under its “Fit for 55” agenda, mandates that all new city buses must be zero-emission by 2030, with hydrogen expected to play a major role alongside battery electric vehicles.
The United States is not far behind. California’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative and federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act are helping scale up fuel-cell transit fleets across cities. Germany and Japan are rapidly expanding their hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, aiming for 400 and 1,000 stations respectively by 2030.
India risks falling behind unless it converts its pilot projects into mainstream transport policy. The cost of inaction is steep — not just in terms of climate targets, but also health costs from diesel pollution and lost opportunities in manufacturing and innovation.
Why green hydrogen buses are ideal for India
While battery electric buses have gained traction, they face challenges in range, charging time, and performance in extreme weather. Hydrogen fuel cell buses offer distinct advantages: long driving ranges (300–400 km), quick refuelling (10–15 minutes), and consistent performance across terrains. These traits make them ideal for India’s intercity and rural routes where charging infrastructure is sparse and demand for round-the-clock service is high.
Moreover, hydrogen buses are less constrained by payload limitations compared with electric buses, which require heavy battery packs. In dense urban centres, where every square metre of road and every kilogram of capacity matters, this becomes a critical advantage.
The ministry of new and renewable energy and the department of heavy industries have already supported pilot hydrogen bus programmes in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra. But pilots alone are not sufficient. Without a supportive ecosystem — including green hydrogen hubs, standardised refuelling infrastructure, and viability gap funding — adoption will remain sluggish.
Scaling the green hydrogen ecosystem
India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, with a ₹19,744 crore outlay, rightly identifies transport as a key application area. However, most funding is currently targeted at industrial applications like steel and fertiliser. Public mobility, especially buses, must receive proportionate focus. Incentives akin to the FAME scheme for electric vehicles should be extended to hydrogen buses — not just for procurement, but also for R&D, refuelling station deployment, and local manufacturing of fuel cells and storage systems.
The domestic hydrogen bus market is still nascent, but growing. Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, and KPIT Technologies have begun work on hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle platforms. India can also benefit from transfer of technology through international joint ventures, as seen in Europe and North America.
Public sector undertakings (PSUs) like NTPC, IOCL, and HPCL must play a lead role in building the hydrogen value chain — from production and storage to distribution and end-use. Their involvement lends scale, credibility, and integration capabilities necessary to de-risk early investments by private players.
Make green hydrogen buses the backbone of public transport
India has the opportunity — and obligation — to rethink how its public transport systems are built. With the impending need to phase out diesel fleets in line with its NDC targets, hydrogen buses must become the centrepiece of its clean mobility vision. A national mandate for green hydrogen-powered buses in at least 25 tier-1 and tier-2 cities by 2030 should be considered. This should be backed by:
- Capital subsidies and operational support to state transport undertakings for hydrogen bus procurement.
- Integration of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure into smart city and urban mobility schemes.
- Allocation of green hydrogen production from upcoming renewable energy zones for transport purposes.
- A technology roadmap to localise PEM fuel cell manufacturing by 2027.
- A data and performance monitoring framework for all pilot and commercial hydrogen fleets to guide policy and innovation.
India has already proved that hydrogen buses can run in the thin air of Leh. The real test is whether they can run every day in the polluted streets of Delhi, the long roads of Maharashtra, or the industrial belts of Tamil Nadu. If so, the clean future we envision may not be so far away.