Toyota explores hydrogen infrastructure to power future of automotive in India

Time of India

4 days ago

Toyota Kirloskar Motor
(TKM) is taking a significant step towards becoming a clean energy enabler in India through a pilot hydrogen-based microgrid system, developed in partnership with electrolyser firm Ohmium. While the project is still in its early stages, TKM exclusively shared with ETManufacturing that it sees this initiative as a potential model for delivering decentralised green power to off-grid or energy-intensive industrial operations.
The collaboration explores combining Ohmium's modular PEM electrolyser technology with Toyota's globally proven fuel cell stack to produce and use green
hydrogen
in a closed-loop energy system. If successful, this prototype could open up new opportunities for industrial energy use, especially in areas where grid access is limited or where uninterrupted clean power is critical.
'This is a seeding phase where innovation with Indian partners becomes vital to build a roadmap for larger-scale hydrogen deployment,' said
Vikram Gulati
, Country Head and Executive Vice President, TKM, in an exclusive interaction.
'The input to the electrolyser is simply water and air — it outputs pure green hydrogen, which is then converted into clean electricity through our fuel cell stack. This offers a potentially complete microgrid solution for decentralised, off-grid power,' he added.
A new role: Toyota as an energy enabler
This initiative signals Toyota's intent to go beyond its traditional role as a vehicle manufacturer. The company is exploring how its fuel cell expertise could contribute to India's broader clean energy ecosystem. According to company officials, the project is aimed at understanding how two critical technologies — electrolysis and fuel cells — can be integrated effectively and engineered for Indian conditions.
'We see hydrogen as a clean energy carrier critical not just to mobility, but also to stationary applications,' said
Sudeep Dalvi
, Senior Vice President and Head of State Affairs, TKM. 'This initiative could help us contribute to India's energy self-reliance and sustainability goals in a demonstrable way.'
While the immediate focus is on establishing technical feasibility, Toyota believes the concept, if validated, may have applications in powering data centres, off-grid manufacturing units, and even smaller facilities within refineries or remote industrial zones.
Aligning with India's industrial decarbonisation goals
TKM executives noted that the initiative aligns well with India's ambitions under the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the 2047 energy independence vision. Though the current effort is exploratory, the long-term potential for hydrogen to decarbonise hard-to-abate industrial sectors remains central to Toyota's interest in India.
'Hydrogen may be essential for India to retain competitiveness in global manufacturing,' said Dalvi. 'Sectors like steel, cement, fertilisers will likely need to decarbonise, and green hydrogen could offer a pathway for that.'
Executives pointed out that Toyota anticipates synergy between industrial hydrogen use and automotive hydrogen applications. Large-format transportation — such as intercity buses and freight trucks — may benefit from cost and infrastructure spillovers as hydrogen production scales up.
Technical collaboration: The innovation in focus
While both Ohmium and Toyota have mature technologies in their respective domains, the novelty of this project lies in the integration. The companies are now working together to determine how best to engineer a functional, efficient system combining Ohmium's electrolyser with Toyota's fuel cell.
'The challenge and opportunity lie in calibrating these technologies for joint performance,' Gulati said. 'The output will be a unique Indianised solution, if the integration succeeds.'
Though timelines for deployment have not yet been finalised, the initial phase will focus on engineering, testing and performance optimisation. The company clarified that once the prototype demonstrates meaningful output, potential applications and business cases will be evaluated.
Localisation potential: Too early, but on the radar
In response to questions on domestic manufacturing, Gulati noted that localisation could be a natural next step — but only if the prototype demonstrates scalability and commercial viability.
'At this stage, our priority is engineering a viable solution. If we succeed, localisation of key components such as storage systems, control technologies and electrolysers could follow,' he said.
Dalvi added that such efforts would naturally support India's green industrial ecosystem, provided there is sufficient demand pull from end-user sectors.
Toyota's broader hydrogen journey in India
This microgrid initiative is the latest in a series of hydrogen-related efforts by Toyota in India. The company earlier worked with ICAT on the Mirai fuel cell pilot to assess vehicle performance and policymaking inputs. It also collaborated with IOCL on hydrogen dispensing infrastructure and with Ashok Leyland on hydrogen commercial vehicle pilots.
'Each of these engagements, while different, share a common goal — to raise awareness and create early enablers for a hydrogen society in India,' Gulati said.
The company views such collaborations as critical for long-term readiness, even as most of these pilots are still pre-commercial.
Advancing India's clean energy goals
At the MoU exchange press conference, senior Union ministers lauded the collaboration as a step forward for India's clean energy ambitions.
Nitin Gadkari
, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, stated, 'Hydrogen, as a clean and renewable energy source, is regarded as the fuel of the future — a key to building a self-reliant and carbon-neutral India... I commend Toyota and Ohmium for making strong efforts with cleaner energy options through advanced hydrogen-led capabilities, aligning with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.''
Shripad Yesso Naik
, Union Minister of State, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said, 'Strategic collaborations such as this, between Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Ohmium, have the potential to significantly accelerate the progress towards a hydrogen-powered green energy future.'
TKM leadership reiterated that the microgrid project could be a foundation for larger-scale future applications.
'Hydrogen is one energy source where India can truly become self-reliant,' Gulati said. 'This initiative is a small but strategic step in that direction.'
He added that as more use-cases emerge and technology costs reduce, the path to commercial adoption may become clearer. In summary, while much about the Toyota-Ohmium microgrid collaboration is still exploratory, the intent is clear: to begin shaping a decentralised hydrogen ecosystem that could power the next chapter of India's green manufacturing ambitions.