Tata Motors delivered Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Buses to IOCL

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell bus has a 350-bar hydrogen storage system, a 70-kw fuel cell stack, electronic braking and stability control for increased safety, an intelligent transport system, next-generation telematics for efficient, user-friendly vehicle maintenance and tracking, and spacious interiors.

Tata Motors, India's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, delivered the first-of-its-kind Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered (FCEV) buses to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL). Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) is the country's largest petroleum corporation.

Two buses were flagged off by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, Rajendra Petkar, President and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors, and delegates from the Government of India, the Government of New Delhi. Tata Motors is in a new era of fully decarbonised transport.

Tata Motors received a tender from IOCL in June 2021 to provide 15 FCEV buses to assess the viability of hydrogen-based PEM fuel-cell technology in India. These buses will be evaluated as a possible mass transportation solution for inter- and intra-city journeys.

These 12-metre-long buses were built in a lab at Tata Motors' R&D centre in Pune. These buses are designed for simple access with a low-floor design, have a seating capacity of 35 passengers, and were delivered after passing severe road tests and validations.

Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, commented on the successful deployment of the first-of-its-kind FCEV bus, saying, "This is an outcome of the Government's progressive policies, IOCL's focus on future-readiness, and Tata Motors' R&D prowess, all collaborating to fulfil the common vision of clean mobility in India. The delivery of the FCEV buses to IOCL represents a big step forward in this journey, and we are grateful for our partners' trust and support."

"The delivery of these buses heralds a new era in inter-city mass public transportation and represents another step toward realizing the goal of sustainable mobility. We are establishing future-ready transport solutions for both freight and people, addressing the mobility needs of tomorrow's India today, by proactive steps to create and adapt new era technologies," he added.

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This bus has a 350-bar hydrogen storage system, a 70-kw fuel cell stack, electronic braking and stability control for increased safety, an intelligent transport system, next-generation telematics for efficient, user-friendly vehicle maintenance and tracking, and spacious interiors.

Rajendra Petkar, President and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors, stated about the technology and innovations incorporated in these new age FCEV buses, "Tata Motors is proud to deliver the state-of-the-art, new-generation, technologically-advanced, zero-emission fuel cell powered buses to IOCL. This is a significant step forward for green mobility in India, utilizing the high potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier and ushering in the hydrogen economy in the transportation sector.”

Tata Motors' expertise and experiences through a collaborative approach with renowned industry partners and research institutions in adapting advanced hydrogen-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology to Indian conditions, and has played a key role in the development of the buses.

This development demonstrates Tata Motors' ongoing commitment to and leadership in carbon neutrality. As part of the agreement, Tata Motors and IOCL will continue to enhance fundamental technologies linked to PEM fuel cells in the future.

Tata Motors, India's largest and most innovative commercial vehicle manufacturer, has consistently engineered innovative mobility solutions powered by alternative fuel technology, including battery-electric, hybrid, CNG, LNG, Hydrogen ICE, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell technologies.

This partnership between Tata Motors and Indian Oil also has the potential to encourage other automotive manufacturers to explore hydrogen fuel cell technology. As hydrogen infrastructure continues to develop in India, it could pave the way for a broader adoption of this green energy source in various sectors, including automobiles.