The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) and Ashok Leyland unveiled India’s first heavy duty truck powered by a hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE). Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vehicle during the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.
Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group’s Indian flagship company and India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, has been developing this unique technology with RIL for the past year, and it has been tested since August 2022. The Ashok Leyland H2-ICE heavy-duty truck range (19-35 Tonne) is powered by hydrogen, a renewable and clean energy source. The overall architecture of the vehicle is similar to that of a traditional diesel-based combustion engine, allowing for a faster transition to cleaner energy sources at a lower cost delta.
Asserting that Ashok Leyland has one of the best R&D teams in the country, the company stated that it had collaborated with RIL to demonstrate its technological leadership and commitment to the Clean Mobility Mission. “Our goal is to make India’s alternative fuel segment self-sufficient and to be one of the campaign’s flag bearers,” Saravanan added. At Auto Expo 2023, Ashok Leyland showcased its futuristic vehicle range powered by electric and hydrogen options.