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Hydrogen Truck Engines in Development at MNRE and ARAI
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes · Last updated:
India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) are jointly developing hydrogen truck engines and the procedures used to test them, as first reported by Mint. ARAI's own engine project uses direct injection to burn hydrogen in heavy trucks. Alongside it, the association is writing the rules by which hydrogen combustion engines and fuel-cell vehicles will be tested. The account rests on two people familiar with the work and on ARAI's FY26 annual report. The target is freight. Diesel trucks are around 5 per cent of all vehicles on India's roads, yet they produce more than a third of carbon emissions from transport.
Key takeaways
- The partnership: MNRE and ARAI are working together on hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) powertrains for heavy-duty vehicles, drawing on ARAI's FY26 annual report and two people familiar with the work.
- The engine: For heavy trucks, ARAI is building an engine that runs on hydrogen fed by direct injection, and no timeline, budget or manufacturing partner has been set out.
- The tests: ARAI's testing protocols cover both H2-ICE trucks and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (H2FCV), so the two pathways can be measured on common terms.
- The emissions case: Diesel trucks make up around 5 per cent of India's vehicle fleet but emit more than a third of transport-sector carbon.
Table of contents
What ARAI Is Building for India's Heavy Trucks
The programme centres on the hydrogen internal combustion engine, or H2-ICE, for heavy-duty vehicles. An H2-ICE burns hydrogen inside its cylinders to make power. It works on the same basic principle as a diesel engine.
ARAI has chosen direct injection for its truck engine. In that design, fuel is delivered straight into the cylinder. No timeline, budget or manufacturing partner for the engine appears in what has been released so far.
That gap matters. A development engine is a long way from a production truck, and no schedule for that step has been set out.
Why ARAI Is Writing Tests for Two Hydrogen Technologies
Alongside the engine, ARAI is preparing testing protocols that cover both H2-ICE trucks and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, abbreviated H2FCV. A fuel-cell vehicle does not burn hydrogen. It converts the gas into electricity, which then drives an electric motor.
Common test procedures would give manufacturers and regulators one yardstick for judging how each option performs and whether it suits heavy-duty work.
Writing protocols for both pathways also signals that India has not yet picked a winner between combustion and fuel cells for its freight fleet.
Why Diesel Trucks Are India's Freight Emissions Problem
Diesel trucks are a small slice of India's fleet, around 5 per cent. Even so, they are responsible for over a third of the carbon released by transport.
That concentration means that cleaning up a relatively small number of heavy vehicles could cut a disproportionate share of transport emissions. The dataset behind the figure was not identified. It should be read as a characterisation rather than as an official statistic.
The protocols are still being drafted, so neither pathway yet has an agreed Indian test regime.
| Technology | How hydrogen is used | ARAI work |
|---|---|---|
| H2-ICE | Burned in cylinders, like diesel | Direct-injection heavy truck engine; test protocols |
| H2FCV | Converted to electricity for a motor | Test protocols |
What could help or hold back hydrogen trucks in India
The case for
- Diesel trucks emit more than a third of transport carbon from around 5 per cent of the fleet, so a narrow target offers large potential cuts.
- A combustion engine design keeps hydrogen trucks close to the diesel engine principle.
- Shared test protocols for H2-ICE and H2FCV would allow the two technologies to be compared directly.
The case against
- No timeline, budget or manufacturing partner has been set out for the direct-injection engine.
- Sourcing rests on two unnamed people and an annual report, and MNRE has issued no public detail in what is available.
- The test protocols are still being written, so no agreed standard yet exists to certify either technology.
What to be careful about
- The emissions share figure has no identified underlying dataset, which limits how far it can be relied on.
- Without a published schedule, the engine programme could remain at the research stage indefinitely.
- Developing tests for two competing technologies may delay a clear signal to truck makers about which to back.
The bottom line
The MNRE and ARAI effort is early-stage work on two fronts. The first is an engine that burns hydrogen through direct injection, intended for heavy trucks. The second is a set of test rules that would let H2-ICE and fuel-cell trucks be judged side by side. The case for the work rests on a stark imbalance: a small share of vehicles produces an outsized share of transport carbon. No dates, costs or manufacturing partners have been set out. The sourcing rests on two unnamed people plus ARAI's FY26 annual report. The next meaningful signal will be a published protocol or a named truck maker.
What to watch
- Watch for ARAI to release its testing protocols for H2-ICE and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles; no date has been set.
- Watch whether MNRE or ARAI names a manufacturing partner or a timeline for the direct-injection truck engine; none has been given so far.
Frequently asked questions
What is an H2-ICE truck engine?
An H2-ICE is a hydrogen internal combustion engine, which burns hydrogen in its cylinders much as a diesel engine burns diesel. ARAI is developing a direct-injection version for heavy trucks with MNRE.
How is a hydrogen fuel-cell truck different from a hydrogen combustion truck?
A fuel-cell vehicle, or H2FCV, turns hydrogen into electricity to run an electric motor rather than burning it. ARAI's testing protocols are being written to cover both types.
Where does the information about the MNRE and ARAI hydrogen project come from?
Two people familiar with the development, together with ARAI's FY26 annual report, are the basis for what is known about the collaboration. No named MNRE or ARAI official is quoted.
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