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Fresh, hot off the press, and on the road: Delhi gets its first two hydrogen-powered shuttle buses today. The 12-metre, light-blue vehicle can now be seen making tracks around the Central Vista (aka India’s prime administrative zone at Raisina Hills, Delhi), after ditching CNG for a greener ride.
Currently two number, the buses are part of the first fleet that the Delhi government procured back in 2023. The hydrogen-powered buses have been deployed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as the country charts a course through global fuel shortages without slamming the brakes on travel. The main purpose, currently, is amping up last-mile connectivity from Seva Teerth Metro Station (formerly Udyog Bhawan) on the Yellow Line.
Each bus can comfortably seat 35 passengers. And don’t worry – we’ll spare you the science lecture on hydrogen-powered PEM fuel-cell technology. Instead, let’s look at what the ride does promise: an electronic braking system, stability control, and next-gen telematics. Additionally, GPS-based tracking and CCTV systems enable real-time monitoring, making the ride a lot safer.
Here’s where the bus will be making pit stops:
- Kartavya Bhawan
- Vigyan Bhawan
- Nirman Bhawan
- Akbar Road
- Baroda House
- National Stadium
- National Gallery of Modern Art
- India Gate
- Seva Teerth Metro Station (final stop)
Two loops of bus services will operate during peak office hours on all working days: between 8.30am and 12.30pm, and 3.30pm and 6.30pm.
What's the upside of hydrogen over CNG?
Even though hydrogen buses are cleaner at the tailpipe-emission level, infrastructure and operating costs still make the comparison between CNG and hydrogen a tad more complicated.
CNG became popular a decade ago for its role in reducing visible pollution from older diesel buses. Still, it relied on internal combustion engines that released nitrogen oxides and tonnes of greenhouse gases. Delhi needed a greener public transport option to manage its ballooning workforce. And CNG clearly wasn’t helping the capital’s AQI situation, which rarely dips below the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories.
Combining the advantages of electric vehicles with faster refuelling times than large battery-electric buses, hydrogen-powered buses emit only heat and water vapour. For the capital’s public transport fleet, that matters: buses spend less time waiting at charging stations and more time on the road. Especially in dense urban spaces where air quality is perpetually depressing, every cleaner kilometre counts. Plus, with hydrogen buses, Delhi would be able to do away with its obnoxiously high levels of noise pollution.
Delhi spent years building its ginormous CNG ecosystem, only to now begin replacing it with hydrogen and electric charging stations. Which also means everything gets pricier for the government: new buses, fuel-storage systems, and refuelling stations included.
For us, too, the road is long. Expect something between one and two years for Delhi to completely switch to hydrogen.