Jitendra Singh unveils India's first indigenously developed Hydrogen fuel cell bus in Pune

Developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune, Union Minister of State, Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday unveiled India's first indigenously-made Hydrogen fuel cell bus, informed the Ministry of Science and Technology. Taking to Twitter, he said that the bus has been developed as a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Green Hydrogen Mission. He shared a video of the bus. 

Notably, the Pune-based Sentient Labs last year in December announced the launch of the 'Made in India' hydrogen fuel cell bus.

Later, while addressing the gathering also said that PM Modi's 'Hydrogen Vision' is important for India to ensure Atma Nirbhar means of affordable and accessible clean energy, meeting climate change goals, and creating new entrepreneurs and jobs.

"Green hydrogen is an excellent clean energy vector that enables deep decarbonization of difficult-to-abate emissions from the refining industry, fertiliser industry, steel industry, cement industry, and also from the heavy commercial transportation sector", he added. 

'Fuel cell bus most environment-friendly mode of transportation': Jitendra Singh

Stating that the fuel cell utilizes Hydrogen and Air to generate electricity to power the bus and its only effluent from the bus is water, the Union Minister asserted that it makes the bus the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

"The high efficiency of fuel cell vehicles and the high energy density of hydrogen ensures that the operational costs in rupees per kilometre for fuel cell trucks and buses are lower than diesel-powered vehicles and this can bring freight revolution to India. Moreover, Fuel Cell vehicles also give zero greenhouse gas emissions", he added. 

Furthermore, he also lauded the joint development efforts of KPIT and CSIR-NCL and pointed out that the technology prowess of Indian scientists and engineers is no less than the best in the world and also at much lower costs. 

Pointing out that about 12-14% of CO2 emissions and particulate emissions come from diesel-powered heavy commercial vehicles and are decentralised emissions, he added that Hydrogen fuelled vehicles will provide an excellent means to eliminate the on-roads emissions from this sector. 

Image: ANI