In a major push for clean mobility, the Government of India has proposed dual-colour number plates for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification suggesting green-blue number plates to help easily identify these eco-friendly vehicles.
What’s New?
Private hydrogen vehicles: Green (top) + Blue (bottom) background with white letters
Commercial hydrogen vehicles: Green + Blue with yellow letters
Rental hydrogen cabs: Black (top) + Blue (bottom) with yellow letters
This move mirrors India’s strategy with electric vehicles, which already have green number plates. It also aims to standardize vehicle identification across the country while promoting Hydrogen as a cleaner fuel option.
Why It Matters
Hydrogen is considered ideal for long-haul trucks and buses due to its high energy capacity and lighter storage.
Indian companies like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, and Olectra Greentech are already building hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Pilot projects supported by Reliance, BPCL, and HPCL are developing refuelling stations.
According to the National Green Hydrogen Mission, India could have 1,000+ hydrogen-powered trucks and buses on roads by 2030 — with 50 hitting the road this year.
India’s Colour-Coded Plates System (Recap)
🔵 Blue plates – Embassies
🔴 Red plates – Top officials
⚪ White plates – Private vehicles
🟡 Yellow plates – Commercial vehicles
⚫ Black plates (with yellow) – Rental cabs
🟢 Green plates – Electric vehicles
🟢🔵 Proposed Green-Blue – Hydrogen vehicles
This is another strong step in India’s march towards net-zero emissions and becoming a leader in clean transportation.
