New Delhi: India's first heavy-duty truck with hydrogen internal combustion engine was unveiled by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), owned by Ashok Leyland and Mukesh Ambani (H2-ICE).

The vehicle was flagged off by the Prime Minister during the India Energy Week in Bengaluru. Since August of last year, the vehicle is being tested. With this, Ashok Leyland hopes to represent the cause of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat".

Compared to diesel trucks, H2-ICE trucks operate more quietly, efficiently and with lower emissions. However, due to their limited availability and inadequate infrastructure for storing hydrogen fuel, buyers of such vehicles will have to pay more than before.

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Prices should come down as the popularity of the technology increases. RIL and Ashok Leyland want to bring this change to the Indian market first.

The combustion engine used in the H2-ICE truck lineup is a typical diesel-based engine. However, unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen is used as a power source.

The trucks with a carrying capacity of 19 to 35 tonnes will be part of Reliance's captive fleet before being used commercially. The "rapid migration to clean energy sources on the delta at relatively low cost" would be made possible by them.

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Although H2-ICE technology may appear to be a promising means of ensuring clean mobility, the cost is still high. This is as a result of insufficient infrastructure for refueling and a limited supply of hydrogen fuel.

The National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap, which is the Centre's vision for the development and deployment of hydrogen energy, and the promotional initiatives of the National Hydrogen Energy Mission aim to address these barriers.

In India, Ashok Leyland and RIL want to create a complete hydrogen ecosystem. When in use, this could result in zero vehicle emissions, models that are more fuel-efficient than ICE vehicles, and a reduction in dependence on imported oil. However, all this is far-fetched.

Ashok Leyland Chairman N Saravanan said, “Working with RIL, we have once again proved our technology leadership and our commitment to the clean mobility mission.

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With one of the top R&D teams in the country, he continued, "We want to continue to innovate and harness new technologies to be a leader in sustainable and eco-friendly mobility."