Tata to supply 15 hydrogen fuel cell buses to Indian Oil

Tata Motors has announced that it has won a tender of 15 hydrogen-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell buses from the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). All 15 buses will be delivered within 144 weeks from the date of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). IOCL had invited bids for the supply of PEM fuel cell buses in December 2020.

In addition to supplying the buses to the Research & Development Centre of IOCL, Tata Motors will also collaborate with them to undertake R&D projects and collectively study further, the potential of fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles. This will be done by jointly testing, maintaining and operating these buses for public transport in real-world conditions in Delhi-NCR. The buses will be refuelled by hydrogen, generated and dispensed by IOCL.

This is a first of its kind project in the country. It would act as a stepping stone for various other programmes of IOCL, which proposes to introduce hydrogen-based mobility on different iconic routes and important sectors in the country.

IOCL plans to strengthen the production and supply chain of hydrogen energy in India and would be setting up ~1 ton per day hydrogen production pilot plants based on 4 innovative pathways, besides collaborating with Tata Motors for fuel cell research.

Apart from the order to supply PEM Fuel Cell buses, Tata Motors has supplied 215 EV buses under FAME I and won orders for 600 EV buses under FAME II.