Indian clean-tech startup h2e Power Systems Private Limited has revealed that it working on a project to develop hydrogen-powered three-wheeler in partnership with a Canadian firm. Headquartered in Pune metropolitan city of the Indian state of Maharashtra, h2e Power Systems said that the hydrogen-powered three-wheeler to be developed it in partnership with Canada-based Hydrogen in Motion Inc. would be the first of its kind EV in the country.

Backed by Adar Poonawalla, the clean-tech startup claims that the planned hydrogen-powered vehicle will bring a new public mobility solution that would prove environment friendly by emitting zero carbon and other harmful gases. In addition to be environment friendly, the new vehicle would be highly competitive in terms of costs with other technologies.

The ambitious project will partly be funded by GITA, which is a joint initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Established in 1971, the DST is a department of the Government of India’s Ministry of Science & Technology.

Sidharth R Mayur, founder & managing director of h2e, noted that the fast-growing automobile market of India is on the verge of a big e-mobility revolution, switching fast from fossil-based vehicles to battery and hydrogen-based vehicles.

Announcing the new vehicle, Mayur said, “India is on the cusp of a big e-mobility revolution… We are already producing green hydrogen from our electrolysers and now developing a three-wheeler concept for inter-city public and goods transport using green hydrogen.”

Grace Quan, CEO of Vancouver, BC-based Hydrogen in Motion, said that it saw India as a natural market for its low pressure high density swappable hydrogen tanks H2M technology, which would play a key role in mass adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The hydrogen-powered three-wheeler concept would mainly be used for inter-city public as well as goods transport. It would integrate h2e’s fuel cell technology with a low-cost & low pressure hydrogen cylinder technology called H2M developed by the Canadian firm.

The Canadian high-pressure storage tanks H2M has already proved its worth when it comes to use of hydrogen in the field of mobility, both in terms of cost and integration. Using the innovative metal hydrite cylinders, the firm has managed to drag down the cost of storage substantially, while ensuring a greater mileage and a better return on investment.