Tata Motors has secured a government-backed order to supply 40 hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2 ICE) trucks for operations at V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding with the port authority to deploy the vehicles in phases through 2028. Tata Motors said it will initially conduct trials with a hydrogen-powered prime mover before gradually introducing H2 ICE trucks into port logistics over the next two years.
The project is funded by India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. As part of the initiative, the port authority will install a 2-megawatt electrolyser and build a dedicated hydrogen refuelling station within the port area to support the truck fleet.
Tata Motors said the vehicles supplied for the project will include the Prima 55-tonne prime mover, likely referring to the Prima H.55S H2 variant. The company first presented the model at Auto Expo 2023 and later used it in hydrogen truck trials launched in India in March 2025.
The Prima H.55S H2 is equipped with a 6.7-litre engine delivering 216 kW at 2,300 rpm and 1,200 Nm of torque between 1,200 and 1,600 rpm. The engine is produced by Tata Cummins, a joint venture between Tata Motors and Cummins, at its facility in Jamshedpur. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a nine-speed gearbox.
The truck stores up to 50 kilograms of compressed hydrogen in Type-3 cylinders at 350 bar, giving it an estimated driving range of up to 500 kilometres. Tata Motors said the vehicle can handle payloads of up to 38 tonnes and climb gradients of up to 23%.
“Our collaboration with V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority marks an important milestone in bringing hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucking into real-world port operations,” said Rajesh Kaul, Vice President and Business Head of Trucks at Tata Motors.
Susanta Kumar Purohit, chairperson of the port authority, said the initiative aims to support lower-emission logistics at the port. “The deployment of green hydrogen-powered trucks will significantly decarbonise our cargo handling operations while setting a benchmark for sustainable port-led logistics in India,” he said.