Tata Motors to deploy 40 H2 ICE trucks in India

India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, Tata Motors, has secured a government order for 40 hydrogen internal combustion engine-powered (H2 ICE) trucks. The company plans to fulfil the fleet order by 2028.

Tata prima h55s h2 at auto expo — Tata Prima H.55S H2 at Auto Expo 2023
Image: Tata Motors

Tata Motors has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) to deploy the 40 H2 ICE trucks at the port, located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. It says it will first conduct trials with a hydrogen-powered prime mover and then deploy H2 ICE-powered prime movers in phases over the next two years.

India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is funding the project. VOCPA will set up a 2 MW electrolyser and a dedicated hydrogen refuelling station within the port premises to support the adoption of H2 ICE trucks in its operations.

Tata Motors states that its H2 ICE truck fleet for VOCPA includes the Prima 55-tonne prime mover. The company is likely referring to the truck’s H.55S H2 variant, which it introduced at Auto Expo 2023 and used for the country’s first hydrogen truck trials initiated in March 2025.

The Prima H.55S H2 features a 6.7-litre engine producing 216 kW at 2,300 rpm and 1,200 Nm of torque at 1,200-1,600 rpm. Tata Cummins, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Motors and Cummins, manufactures the engine in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. A 9-speed transmission sends power to the rear wheels.

Tata Motors equips the Prima H.55S H2 with Type-3 cylinders that store 50 kg of compressed hydrogen at 350 bar. The company estimates that it can cover a distance of up to 500 kilometres with the tanks full. The H2 ICE truck can climb grades of up to 23 per cent and carry payloads of up to 38 tonnes.

Sharing Tata Motors’ views on the collaboration with VOCPA, Rajesh Kaul, the Vice President and Business Head of the company’s trucks division, said, “Our collaboration with V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority marks an important milestone in bringing hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucking into real-world port operations.” Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, VOCPA, said, “The deployment of green hydrogen-powered trucks will significantly decarbonise our cargo handling operations while setting a benchmark for sustainable port-led logistics in India.”

tatamotors.com