Kochi Airport to Introduce India’s First Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Buses

Kochi International Airport will become the first airport in India to operate hydrogen-powered buses for passenger transportation, following a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) and the Kerala Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster (K-HVIC) Foundation.

The agreement provides for the procurement and operation of three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses under the Kerala Hydrogen Valley initiative. As per the MoA, the K-HVIC Foundation will extend financial support for the purchase of the buses, with funding capped at INR 2.90 crore per bus. The total project cost is INR 8.7 crore, to be released in phases.

The procurement process is expected to be completed within 12 months, and ownership of the buses will rest with CIAL. The project aims to improve passenger convenience while significantly reducing emissions from airport transport operations.

Fuel supply for the buses will be ensured through a 1,000 kW green hydrogen plant being jointly developed by CIAL and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), which is scheduled to begin operations shortly. Statutory approvals for the hydrogen supply infrastructure have already been obtained, enabling early implementation of the initiative.

With this move, Kochi International Airport is set to take a pioneering role in adopting hydrogen-based mobility solutions in India’s aviation sector.