Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) have jointly launched two hydrogen fuel cell buses in New Delhi, marking a concrete step toward zero-emission public transport in India. The buses, handed over to DMRC on 15 May 2025, will operate on the Central Secretariat–Kartavya Bhavan corridor, according to IOCL Director (Refineries) Arvind Kumar.

What the Buses Do and How They Work

The hydrogen fuel cell buses emit only water as a byproduct, making them entirely pollution-free. Kumar explained that hydrogen is fed into the fuel cell, and the sole discharge is water — eliminating particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and other tailpipe pollutants entirely. The hydrogen powering these buses is green hydrogen produced at IOCL's Research and Development centre in Faridabad.

'Hydrogen-powered buses are a wonderful initiative for green and clean mobility. The hydrogen used in these buses is green hydrogen produced at our R&D centre in Faridabad,' Kumar said. He added: 'Hydrogen is used in the fuel cell, and the discharge is only water. So it is an environmentally friendly and zero-pollution scenario.'

IOCL's Broader Green Hydrogen Roadmap

IOCL currently operates 15 hydrogen-powered buses across various trial projects in India, with the two DMRC units the latest addition. The corporation is also developing a 10 KTA (kilo tonnes per annum) green hydrogen plant at its Panipat refinery, which is presently under fabrication. Kumar noted the plant will take time to commission but is intended to scale hydrogen's role in mobility solutions as technology and economics mature.

This comes amid India's accelerating push under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which targets producing 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. The IOCL-DMRC pilot is one of the few live deployments linking a state-run refiner directly to urban mass transit.

Energy Security Pressures and Refinery Stability

Kumar also addressed concerns over global crude oil supply disruptions linked to ongoing tensions in the Gulf region. He acknowledged that approximately 89 per cent of India's crude oil requirement is imported, creating persistent pressure on supply management. 'We have to continuously rebalance and re-navigate supply equations,' he said.

Despite these headwinds, Kumar assured that all 10 IOCL refineries are currently operating at over 100 per cent capacity, signalling operational resilience. India's energy strategy, he said, rests on three pillars: energy security, affordability, and sustainability — all of which must be balanced simultaneously.

Policy Alignment and What Comes Next

Kumar framed the hydrogen bus initiative as consistent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's broader appeal for cleaner and fuel-efficient technologies. He indicated that more such deployments will follow as the technology matures and unit economics improve. 'Gradually more such initiatives will come,' he said.

With the Panipat green hydrogen plant under construction and 15 trial buses already on the road, IOCL's hydrogen mobility ecosystem is expanding — though it remains at a pilot scale for now. The pace of scale-up will depend on how quickly green hydrogen production costs fall relative to conventional fuels.