Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (Indian Oil) to assess the viability of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in India. As part of the agreement signed on April 22, 2025, Hyundai handed over one unit of its NEXO FCEV to Indian Oil to begin real-world testing under Indian conditions. The two-year pilot will evaluate key aspects such as vehicle longevity, operational reliability, and long-term costs of ownership, marking an important step in India’s exploration of alternative mobility technologies.
The Hyundai NEXO has been used in global markets as a testbed for hydrogen fuel cell mobility. In India, this will be its first structured trial involving long-distance usage in a public-private partnership. The vehicle will be driven over 40,000 km during the study to test its suitability for Indian driving and climatic conditions. The collaboration also includes a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) study to understand maintenance, operational efficiency, and the economic practicality of FCEVs for private and commercial use.
Hyundai’s decision to initiate this project comes amid growing government interest in building a Green Hydrogen economy. The company’s move aligns with its wider mobility strategy which spans across internal combustion, CNG, flex-fuel, hybrid, electric, and now hydrogen-based vehicles. Indian Oil, which is playing a central role in India’s energy transition, will use this opportunity to deepen its technical understanding of hydrogen storage, supply chains, and fuel cell operations in real-world scenarios.
In addition to this MoU, HMIL is working on a Hydrogen Innovation Centre in partnership with IIT Madras. This centre will serve as a testing and innovation platform for startups and component manufacturers involved in hydrogen technologies.
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