Indian Navy's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Trial with Indian Oil Corporation
Key Ideas
  • The Indian Navy is set to trial its first hydrogen fuel cell bus procured from Indian Oil Corporation, storing 30 kg of hydrogen at 350-bar pressure.
  • The bus has a refuel time of 15 minutes and can cover a range of 300-350 km, with an MoU signed to explore heavy-duty electric mobility solutions.
  • Indian Oil Corporation has ordered 15 hydrogen fuel cell buses from Tata Motors, featuring a 70 kW FCmove-HD fuel cell stack, to be evaluated for city commutes.
  • The Indian Army is also involved in the initiative, supporting the use of hydrogen fuel cell technology in commercial vehicles for testing and study purposes.
The Indian Navy is gearing up to introduce hydrogen fuel cell buses into its transportation fleet as part of a trial initiative. The first hydrogen fuel cell bus for this trial has been acquired from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a prominent national oil and gas company venturing into alternative energy sources. This bus is equipped with fuel tanks capable of storing 30 kg of hydrogen under a pressure of 350 bars. It boasts a quick refueling time of 15 minutes and can travel a distance of 300-350 km on a single charge. The collaboration between the Indian Navy and IOCL involves a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on deploying hydrogen fuel cell technology for heavy-duty electric mobility solutions. IOCL has sourced these hydrogen fuel cell buses from Tata Motors, with an initial order of 15 units placed in 2021 for testing in both inter-city and intra-city transportation scenarios. The trial bus, a 12-metre low-floor model with 35 seats and two doors, is a part of this initiative. The evaluation unit provided by IOCL likely features the 70 kW FCmove-HD fuel cell stack from Ballard Power Systems, consistent with the specifications of the Tata Motors units. The commitment to integrating this technology was underscored by Ballard Power Systems' announcement of the 70 kW FCmove-HD fuel cell stack in the hydrogen buses ordered by IOCL. Moreover, the Indian Army has joined in to support the government's efforts to promote hydrogen fuel cell technology by acquiring a hydrogen fuel cell bus for its own experimental purposes. The testing phase aims to assess the performance of the hydrogen fuel cell buses, with each unit expected to cover a minimum distance of 20,000 km. The collective test mileage target set by IOCL is 300,000 km, aligning with the comprehensive study of this innovative technology in real-world conditions.
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