Sentient Labs launches 'Made in India' hydrogen fuel cell bus with 450 km range

Pune-based Sentient Labs on Wednesday announced the launch of 'Made in India' hydrogen fuel cell bus. The pilot project is India's first indigenously developed and manufactured bus that would run on hydrogen fuel cell. The 32-seater bus also has facilities like central air-conditioning and is designed to provide a range of 450 kilometres by utilising 30 kg of Hydrogen.

Sentient Labs launches hydrogen fuel cell bus

The hydrogen fuel cell bus has been designed and developed by Sentient Labs in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), National Chemical Laboratory and Central Electrochemical Research Institute. The modular architecture of the bus allows for a change in its design to modify according to the requirements of range and operating conditions.

The bus uses hydrogen fuel cells and air to generate electricity for power. The only emission from the bus is water, thus, making it the most environment-friendly mode of transportation. For instance, a normal Diesel bus emits typically 100 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually.

Additionally, the 'Made in India' fuel technology would cost around $400 per kilowatt compared to $1000-$1,200 worldwide. This alternative technological advancement is expected to improve air quality as well as bring down skyrocketing oil prices in the country.

"We are proud to launch an indigenously developed hydrogen fuel cell power bus. A strong technical team along with CSIR-NCL worked on several technology components. This will go a long way in powering Hydrogen Mission, AatmaNirbhar Bharat and importantly sustainable mobility.

We envision that the solution will see widespread adoption powered by several partnerships. Our efforts will also be pivotal in enabling vehicle makers and suppliers to build a net-zero carbon path in India," Chairman of Sentient Labs, Ravi Pandit said in a statement, as quoted by Saur Energy International.

Meanwhile, Sentient Labs is engaged in discussions with Indian Automotive OEMs and fleet operations to market large-scale adoption of hydrogen fuel cell buses. The chairman also informed that at least 5 lakh buses from the 20 lakh running on roads in India can be converted into fuel cell-powered vehicles. The bus will now run for 10 to 12 months at multiple places that have hydrogen restoration points.

Sentient announces tech to generate hydrogen from agricultural residue

Among other noteworthy achievements, Sentient Labs is also known for its breakthrough discovery of recovering hydrogen from agricultural residue, which can be used in fuel cell-powered vehicles.

Additionally, it has also identified bottlenecks in battery technology and aimed to set up sustainable alternatives with an emphasis on hydrogen-powered technology. It has also developed Balance of Plant, Powertrain and Battery Pack, all of which are used in the hydrogen fuel cell bus.

(Image: @SentientLabs)