You must be wondering, what exactly is hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) technology, and what is so good about it?  Hydrogen fuel is a clean fuel that is burned along with oxygen in an electrochemical power generator to generate electricity, and in the process, produces water and heat as by-products. What sets hydrogen fuel apart, however, is the fact that it serves as an alternative to diesel fuel in more ways than one: its fuel-cycle emits no pollutive exhaust, and through renewable energy, there contains no trace of greenhouse gas emissions. Vehicles that are powered by the hydrogen fuel cell, thus, significantly reduce our use and dependence on diesel oil and lower the chances of harmful emissions contributing to climate change. What started out as an experiment among startup companies and early projects is now dominating the commercial vehicle industry with many of the industry’s biggest players putting in large investments in the technology. 

How Does it Work?

Hydrogen fuel can be produced through several methods, and in the commercial vehicle industry, fuel is processed in a fuel cell that is composed of three main components: an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane. This type of fuel cell is called a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, or also known as a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which is mainly reserved for transport applications and stationary and portable fuel cell applications. The PEM fuel cell does its job by passing hydrogen through the anode, at which hydrogen molecules are split into electrons and protons. The former ones take the path of a circuit in the fuel cell to generate electric current and excess heat, while the protons go through the electrolyte membrane. At the same time, the PEM fuel cell passes oxygen from the surrounding air through the cathode on the other side, where the oxygen meets with the protons and electrons to produce water molecules. This does not get any simpler than your run-of-the-mill science experiment in school!

What Are Fuel Stacks Then?

What lies in the heart of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) is the fuel cell stack. Because fuel cells generate less than 1.16 volts of electricity each, they must be assembled atop one another to create a fuel cell stack in order to generate enough power to run a vehicle. The potential power that can be generated by a fuel cell stack largely varies and is dependent on the number and the size of the individual fuel cells of the fuel cell stack, as well as the surface area of the PEM. 

The Preferred Alternative

Hydrogen fuel cell has been proven to yield positive results for both the environment and the wallet in the long term. 

Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Contrary to diesel fuel, which emits greenhouse gases (GHGs) and carbon dioxide (CO2) that are large contributors to climate change, the only by-products of vehicles–when fueled by pure hydrogen–are heat and water with the release of zero tailpipe GHGs. While it is possible for FCVs to still generate GHGs, depending on the production method, the GHGs emitted is still far less great than those emitted by gasoline and diesel fuel. FCVs also eliminate the maintenance costs that come with storing diesel fuel that may prove harmful later on. Many of the industry’s big players make use of environmentally benign hydrogen in their hydrogen fuel cell products to eliminate and prevent the harmful impact of fuel spillage or leaks and air pollution. 

Cutback on Vehicle Oil Dependence

Many companies have incorporated hydrogen fuel cells in their corporate sustainability programmes, and the industry is seeing a shift of focus from diesel fuel to environmentally friendly alternatives. With the industry soon to be saturated with FCVs, our dependence on foreign oil will be significantly reduced and eventually eradicated. Hydrogen can be extracted sustainably from domestic sources, such as natural gas and coal, as well as from renewable sources, such as water, biogas, and agricultural waste. From an economic perspective, this would allow us to be less affected by oil price hikes and drops in the volatile oil market. 

Lowering of Operational Costs

Hydrogen fuel cells require little to no maintenance as they eliminate the need to change, charge, and manage batteries, a maintenance check that is necessary for batteries, internal combustion generators, and the like. Hydrogen fuel cell units have a longer running time than do lead-acid batteries and, when power is running low, would not take more than five minutes to refuel. Companies that employ FCVs in their fleet benefit substantially from this as it reduces vehicle and personnel time, giving birth to a higher efficiency rate. This loss of regular maintenance saves not only money but labour, time, and the space for battery rooms as maintenance checks require optimal conditions. 

Increase in Energy Efficiency

 Hydrogen fuel cells are well known to be more energy-efficient than other forms of power. When a fuel cell vehicle is fueled by pure hydrogen, the hydrogen fuel cell has the potential to be up to 80-percent efficient. This means that the fuel cell converts up to 80 percent of the energy content of the hydrogen into electrical energy. The electric motor and inverter of the vehicle thus have the responsibility to convert that electrical energy into mechanical energy, with an average of 80 percent efficiency. Combined, this gives an overall 64-percent of increased efficiency when a vehicle is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell!

Increase in Durability and Reliability

Hydrogen fuel cells are notably more robust than other forms of fuel and can weather all types of conditions, from cold environments to harsh storms. This makes fuel cells a reliable asset to companies that engage commercial vehicles in tough environments. Additionally, because they do not have any moving parts, hydrogen fuel cells operate quietly even in the midst of a snowstorm! 

With environmentally friendly applications and time-consuming maintenance, we are beginning to see the boom of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the commercial vehicle industry, and with good reason! (MT)

(Credits / Sources: U.S Energy Information Administration, Hydrogenics, Toyota, Verdict Media, Stanford University, University of Nebraska, Fuel Economy, Plug Power) 

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Cars24 has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to support India's startup ecosystem through initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, mobility, and road safety.

As per the agreement, Cars24 will establish structured programmes for early-stage founders, granting access to its infrastructure, mentor network, funding sources, market connections and technical resources. In turn, the DPIIT will facilitate national outreach and ecosystem integration via the Startup India platform, supporting knowledge exchange, co-branding and policy engagement.

The partnership encompasses five specific areas of operation: mentorship for early-stage founders via the Cars24 Founders' Fellowship, training through Mobility and Autotech Skilling Programmes, technical support and AI integration via Cars24 Labs, investor connections through Fuel by Cars24 and the organisation of an annual Innovation Challenge and Road Safety Hackathon alongside the DPIIT.

Vikram Chopra, Builder, Cars24, said, “Cars24 is proof that Indian founders can start with a difficult, everyday problem and build something on a national scale. We want to pass that possibility on. Through this partnership with DPIIT, we are backing the next generation of builders with more than advice. We want to give them access, capital, talent and a real platform to test ideas that can make India move smarter and safer.”

A senior DPIIT official commented, “Industry participation is central to strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. Collaborations of this kind, where an established market leader opens up its scale, mentorship and resources to early-stage founders, are exactly the bridge between ambition and execution that young startups need. We welcome Cars24’s commitment to mentoring, skilling and supporting product startups across the country.”

The non-binding MoU establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration between both entities to foster technology adoption and entrepreneurship within the Indian mobility sector.

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NXP Semiconductors has announced that the BMW Group will deploy its Trimension NCJ29D6 Ultra-Wideband (UWB) family across its vehicle fleet, beginning with selected 2026 production programmes.

The hardware component integrates fine-ranging capabilities with short-range radar functionality on a single chip. This allows vehicle manufacturers to utilise a single system for multiple applications, including hands-free vehicle entry and occupant presence detection.

The integration supports BMW’s Digital Key Plus feature, which enables vehicle owners to substitute key fobs with smartphones or smartwatches. The system manages locking and unlocking functions as the user approaches or moves away from the vehicle. Additionally, the technology includes in-cabin radar monitoring designed to identify motion patterns consistent with occupants or animals left inside a parked vehicle, sending notification alerts to users to align with European and Chinese NCAP assessment protocols.

Markus Staeblein, Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Secure Car Access at NXP Semiconductors, said, “NXP’s proven Trimension UWB platform maximises value for OEMs, using a single system to deliver multiple new and differentiating features for drivers. Digital key and presence detection are just the beginning. OEMs will be able to deliver additional UWB-based features, such as kick sensing, intrusion alert or automatic charging, as they establish the secure hardware platform in their vehicles.”

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Envalior India, an engineering materials company formed through the merger of DSM Engineering Materials and LANXESS High Performance Materials, will inaugurate the Envalior Centre of Excellence in Electric Vehicle Technology on 5 August 2026 as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

The CoE located at Marathwada Mitra Mandal's Polytechnic in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, will be implemented by the BroadArks Foundation to provide vocational training in electric vehicle systems.

It plans to train 250 individuals annually through two courses: a Level 4 Certificate in EV Service, Safety & Maintenance and a Level 5 Advanced Certificate in EV Diagnostics & Systems.

The curricula align with the National Skills Qualifications Framework and carry certification support from the Confederation of Indian Industry. The programs target students from Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics studying mechanical, electrical, electronics, mechatronics and computer science disciplines.

Training instruction covers classroom coursework and laboratory modules focused on vehicle architecture, battery management systems, charging infrastructure, thermal management, power electronics, diagnostics and workshop safety protocols. Practical assessments and industry projects form part of the curriculum structure.

Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Business Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Envalior, said, "The launch of the Envalior Centre of Excellence reflects our commitment to supporting India's transition towards electric mobility by investing in the people who will power it. Through this Centre, we aim to provide students with industry-aligned, hands-on training that prepares them for the evolving demands of the EV sector while contributing to a stronger and future-ready workforce."

In addition to student instruction, the facility is designed to support laboratory infrastructure and instructor development programs for technical education in the region.

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has appointed Junghyun Kwon as Executive Vice-President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Development Center.

Kwon will oversee software engineering, deep learning integration, perception systems and commercialisation pathways for the group's autonomous mobility programs, reporting directly to Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division.

He joins the group following technical management roles in software development and artificial intelligence across international technology firms. Kwon previously managed autonomous driving software development and deployment at NVIDIA before directing intelligent robotics development at Samsung Electronics. His technical background covers machine learning models, computer vision systems and vehicle perception frameworks.

The executive appointment forms part of a broader recruitment sequence targeting software-defined vehicle architectures and autonomous driving systems.

Earlier in July, Hyundai Motor Group appointed Dongwuk Kim as Senior Vice-President and Head of the SDV Platform Development Center, following his work on wireless communication systems for mobile devices, robotics and vehicles at Apple and Tesla. The group also added Jeremy Ma as Senior Vice-President and Head of AVP Silicon Valley, drawing on his experience in robotics and autonomous systems at Apple, Toyota Research Institute and NVIDIA.

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