No future for petrol and diesel vehicles: Nitin Gadkar

In his keynote speech at the Busworld India Conclave 2025, Nitin Gadkari stated, “There is no future for diesel and petrol vehicles.” He emphasised the need for manufacturers to transition towards cleaner fuel alternatives, such as biofuels, CNG, LNG, and electric powertrains. Gadkari highlighted that petrol and diesel pose “serious problems” in terms of imports and environmental impact. The union minister also revealed that the government has already begun pilot projects for hydrogen mobility and companies. Major Indian companies, including Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland, and Mahindra & Mahindra, are already involved in hydrogen fuel trials.  “We are now on the 10 routes where we are running hydrogen trucks and buses. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future,” he mentioned.   Coming back to the discussion on flex-fuel, the minister emphasised the importance of ethanol as a significant alternative fuel, pointing out India’s capability to generate ethanol from various feedstocks. He further revealed that the industry is already working on the development of flex fuel engines while vehicles continue to operate on E20 fuel.   Shifting focus from alternative fuel options, Gadkari also addressed safety concerns associated with public transport. He reiterated the government’s focus on improving safety standards. In his speech, he mentioned that the bus registrations will now need to be uploaded on the Vahan portal along with physical and video approvals. This replaces the self-certification regime for the bus manufacturers.    He called on all bus body manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to prioritise quality, safety, and comfort over merely reducing costs. The demand for electric buses alone is projected to reach 150,000 units in the next three years, while the current manufacturing capacity is approximately 70,000 buses per year.