Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has made a strong case for hydrogen as India's next transport fuel, revealing that he personally uses a hydrogen-powered car and describing it as superior to a Mercedes. Speaking at the Navbharat Conclave on Tuesday, Gadkari announced that hydrogen-powered trucks and buses are set to debut on Indian roads in the near future.
Gadkari's personal experience with hydrogen vehicles
Gadkari stated that he drives multiple alternative-fuel vehicles, including electric, flex-fuel, and hydrogen cars, all of which he keeps at his residence. "I drive electric, flex-fuel and hydrogen vehicles; I have all three at home right now," he said. He invited attendees to visit his home after the program to experience the vehicles firsthand: "Those who have understood, come to my house after the program, and take a ride in all three cars."
The minister recounted how he obtained his first hydrogen car following discussions with his wife and Vikram Kirloskar of Toyota India. "I travel in a hydrogen car. It is better than Mercedes," Gadkari asserted, adding that the experience convinced him of the technology's potential.
Shift to commercial hydrogen vehicles
Gadkari emphasized that the focus is now moving from passenger cars to commercial vehicles. He announced that hydrogen-powered trucks and buses are arriving. "Now, hydrogen trucks are arriving. I recently launched Tata's hydrogen-powered trucks—one running on a hydrogen fuel cell and another new one that uses an internal combustion (IC) engine modified to run on hydrogen," he said.
The minister outlined a pilot project for public transport in Nagpur. "Now hydrogen buses are coming too. I am running a pilot project in Nagpur: hydrogen will be produced, filled into buses, and the buses will run," Gadkari explained. He described the Nagpur initiative as a template for scaling up hydrogen adoption across the country.
Broader alternative fuel strategy
Gadkari has long advocated for reducing India's dependence on fossil fuels to cut import costs and emissions. At the conclave, he linked hydrogen to India's broader alternative fuel push, which already includes ethanol and electric vehicles. While acknowledging skepticism about hydrogen technology, he urged people to experience it directly.
The minister's remarks come as automakers like Tata Motors test both fuel cell and hydrogen-IC engine platforms for trucks, signaling early commercial interest. With pilots for buses in Nagpur and the rollout of hydrogen trucks, the government appears to be moving hydrogen from demonstration to deployment in heavy transport—a segment considered critical for India's net-zero and energy security goals.
