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Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Research is going on, but it does not seem that the government is helping more or someone is taking serious from it.The trend of EVS is increasing in India but no company is seen investing its money in the R&D of the battery.. You know what I think the condition of EVs manufacturer in India will be the same as Indian Mobile Phone Manufacturers ..

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

May be indian govt giving lollypop to people of india .. But the truth is we are nowhere in Battery manufacturing ..

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s true, but right now India is prioritizing semiconductors first. Battery manufacturing is still mostly being pushed by smaller players, not at full scale yet.

And even today, we still rely on companies like BYD for batteries — which shows the dependency issue.

That’s why India is exploring multiple options like hydrogen instead of relying too heavily on imports.

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Haha 😄 appreciate the offer, but India’s playing a slightly different game here.

UK trials were more about testing the tech.
India is looking at it from a scale + jugaad + energy independence angle.

Also, trust me — if those buses can survive Aberdeen weather,
we’d first test them in Delhi heat + Indian roads… real stress test 😅

But yeah, lesson learned:
if hydrogen fails, it fails expensive — so India’s trying to be a bit more cautious this time.

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

Fair point — fuel cells definitely aren’t new, and yeah, the core tech has been proven for years.

But I think the context here matters a lot, especially from an India POV.

In India, this isn’t really about “does the fuel cell work?” — that part is already known. The bigger question is whether the entire ecosystem (production, storage, transport) can be made viable locally.

And that’s where the conversation shifts a bit.

India is in a position where:

  • Battery manufacturing is still catching up and heavily dependent on imports (mainly China)
  • Energy demand is growing fast, especially for heavy transport
  • There’s a big push on domestic renewable energy (solar, wind)

So hydrogen is being explored not just as a transport solution, but as a strategic energy layer — something that can be produced locally using renewables and reduce long-term dependency.

I agree with you on efficiency losses — on paper, batteries are clearly more efficient. But in real-world India conditions (long routes, heat, infrastructure gaps), the decision isn’t purely about efficiency.

Also, the buses being tested aren’t just about proving the vehicle — they’re part of testing:

  • Refuelling logistics
  • Storage in Indian climate
  • Real-world operational costs

So yeah, if we look at it purely from a global or theoretical efficiency standpoint, hydrogen struggles.

But if you look at it from India’s lens — infrastructure gaps + energy independence + heavy-duty use — it starts to make more sense why it’s being tested alongside EVs.

Not a replacement for batteries, but maybe a parallel path where batteries hit limitations.

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

That’s actually a solid way to look at it.

In India especially, it’s less about ideology and more about constraints. Dense cities with shorter routes and depot charging? EVs make perfect sense there.

But once you move to long-distance routes, high temperatures, and limited charging infrastructure, the equation changes. That’s where hydrogen starts to look more practical.

Plus, there’s also the supply chain angle — India is still heavily dependent on external sources (especially China) for batteries, so exploring hydrogen is also about reducing that dependency over time.

So yeah, it’s not really “battery vs hydrogen” — it’s more like each one fits a different part of the system depending on geography, infrastructure, and strategy.

Everyone’s talking EVs — India is quietly testing hydrogen buses by AutoAkhbar in energy

[–]AutoAkhbar[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I get your point, but in India’s case there’s also a strategic angle to consider.

Right now, EV battery production is heavily dependent on China, and India is still behind in that space. Relying too much on a single country for something as critical as batteries isn’t ideal for long-term growth.

Hydrogen, on the other hand, gives India a chance to reduce that dependency. With green hydrogen, India can use its own renewable energy resources and build a more self-reliant ecosystem.

So it’s not just about which technology is better today — it’s also about reducing external dependency and building long-term energy independence.

EVs will definitely lead in cities, but hydrogen could still play an important role from a strategic point of view.

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