New Delhi: Even as fuel costs continue to rise, creating considerable public outrage, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari arrived in Parliament today in a green hydrogen-powered automobile, the country’s first of its kind. As part of a pilot initiative, the Minister drove himself from his home to Parliament this morning. Mr. Gadkari has spoken frequently about the need for a shift to renewables and green energy.
The car is said to be capable of covering 600 kilometres on a single tank, lowering the cost of travel to just $2 per kilometre. It also appears that filling the vehicle’s gasoline tank takes only five minutes.
The Minister can be seen in the front seat of the car, next to the driver. The white car has a green licence plate, which is also seen on electric vehicles.
Mr Gadkari had earlier this month launched India’s first hydrogen-based advanced “Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)” – Toyota Mirai. He had also shared a video of how green hydrogen can power a car. At the launch, he said that green hydrogen was “an efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable energy pathway to make India energy self-reliant”.
In January, the Minister stated that he will drive a hydrogen-powered vehicle. “The Toyota Corporation of Japan has provided me with a vehicle that operates on green hydrogen. As a test study (on alternative fuel), I shall use it personally “he had stated
Mr Gadkari has long advocated for a green fuel transition, claiming that rapid advancements in green fuel technology will lower the cost of electric cars (EVs), bringing them on level with gasoline-powered vehicles in two years.
Meanwhile, the fuel price hike on Wednesday for the eighth time in the last nine days. In Delhi, petrol and diesel rates were hiked by 80 paise a litre, respectively, according to a price notification of state fuel retailers.
A litre of petrol in the national capital will now cost ₹ 101.01 as against ₹ 100.21 previously, while diesel will be sold at ₹ 92.27 from ₹ 91.47 per litre earlier.
In Mumbai, petrol will be retailed at ₹ 115.88 per litre, while diesel will be sold at ₹ 100.10 per litre. Among the metro cities, fuel rates are the highest in Mumbai. The prices vary across the states due to value-added tax (VAT).
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