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Despite the global buzz around electrification and hydrogen, diesel isn’t going anywhere—at least not anytime soon, says Rajendra Petkar, President and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors.
Speaking at the Autocar Professional Future Powertrain Conclave in Chennai, Petkar was unambiguous in his assertion:
“Diesel will continue to rule the roost… because that’s the workhorse, and it’s a dependable workhorse.”
He acknowledged that emission regulations will continue to drive improvement in diesel technology. However, India’s commercial vehicle ecosystem—spanning everything from rural freight to long-haul transport—will still rely heavily on internal combustion engines for years to come.
“Probably we’ll have to make them more green now… There is a roadmap. Of course, through the emission transition, it would happen.”
But that’s only one part of a much broader story. Petkar went on to outline a detailed, segment-specific vision for Tata Motors’ clean mobility transition—encompassing BEVs, LNG, hydrogen, and more. The central idea? Different segments need different solutions. There is no single path to decarbonisation.
“If we have to answer, we need to look at it from the segment point of view.”
Passenger Vehicles & Last-Mile: Battery Electrics Will Lead
For passenger cars and last-mile mobility—where range demands are moderate and urban charging is feasible—Petkar reaffirmed Tata Motors’ commitment to battery electric vehicles.
“The focus is going to be on the Euro emission technology, which is the battery electric vehicle technology.” He also urged the government to continue supporting this segment through favourable policy mechanisms.
“Whatever comes along to promote and develop battery electric vehicle technology is something we would pursue.”
This includes retaining the current 5% GST slab, lowering import duties on EV components, and enhancing the Auto PLI and localisation schemes to bolster India’s EV manufacturing base.
Heavy Commercial Vehicles: Hydrogen Is the Destination
As the powertrain gets heavier, the solution receives lighter—hydrogen, that is. For long-haul trucks, Petkar sees hydrogen—particularly in the form of fuel cells and hydrogen internal combustion—as the ultimate clean fuel alternative.
The destination is, of course, going to be reached with hydrogen because conventional battery technology has limitations when it comes to freight movement, including hydrates, dead weight, reduced payload, and a long charging time for the batteries.
He urged policymakers to treat hydrogen ICE technology with parity: “H2-ICE technology should also receive the same attention as it does for the fuel cell.”
To scale hydrogen adoption, he emphasized the need for local electrolyzer manufacturing, effective pricing mechanisms, and long-term visibility into hydrogen supply infrastructure.
LNG for Long-Haul: Clean, Competitive, and Under-Tapped
Between diesel and hydrogen lies a commercially viable middle ground—Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Petkar sees LNG as a powerful bridge fuel for long-distance logistics that clock 1,000–1,500 km per trip.
“LNG is a very viable option… the LNG price structure today is very nice—₹75 per kg is a good thing.”
Despite the pricing advantage, adoption remains sluggish. Petkar proposed three clear action items:
• Keep LNG prices stable and affordable
• Lower GST rates (currently same as diesel, despite LNG being cleaner)
• Develop dedicated LNG corridors with refueling stations, rather than a scattered national rollout
“You can’t actually spread the LNG infrastructure all over the country. So identify long-route, dedicated corridors.”
He also called for support in local cryogenic tank manufacturing to reduce dependency and cost.
Intermediate Vehicles & Public Transport: Mix of CNG, LNG, and EVs
In the 7–19 tonne range—where trucks share space with intra-city buses—Petkar sees an energy mix taking shape.
“The intermediate category vehicles would actually get started between the battery electric and the CNG/LNG. That is what I would think.”
With states pushing for bus fleet electrification, Tata Motors is already leading the charge.
“We have the largest bus fleet today operating as battery electric vehicle buses.”
He acknowledged that CNG and LNG will continue to dominate goods movement in this category, while battery electric will thrive in city-based people movement.
A Grounded Vision, Segment by Segment
Through his detailed commentary, Rajendra Petkar brought clarity to a complex transition. Tata Motors is not chasing trends—it’s engineering a fuel-by-fuel, class-by-class strategy that reflects both India’s realities and global imperatives.
From keeping diesel efficient and relevant, to ramping up BEVs, to unlocking the promise of hydrogen and LNG, the roadmap is clear: No one-size-fits-all. And no segment left behind.
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