Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is now in the process of making the best use of engines of certain vehicles for use with hydrogen-blended CNG (HCNG). The research conducted by SIAM and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have agreed upon an ideal blend of 18% hydrogen with CNG. This will produce smallest amount of Nitrogen oxide and promises the highest power to vehicles.

HCNG is among the latest technology that is being considered for lessening pollution from vehicles. As per what Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM director general Dilip Chenoy, by April, the kind of engines that would be suited for running with the new blend will be ready. SIAM is now in the process of optimizing engines that would equip it to deal with an 18% blend of hydrogen with CNG. And this kind of an engine will give the least power reduction and highest Nitrogen oxide reduction. This new fuel will be used in CNG vehicles only after it is being tested for about 50,000 km or more.

This decision would probably lead to almost all public transport in the city, from three-wheelers to taxis and is an excellent substitute for petrol and diesel. But it did have emission problems. HCNG reduces both CO2 and Nitrogen oxide levels in emissions and guarantees to give better mileage. HCNG will give better mileage as it is 1.13 times as much as CNG in terms of volume.

Hydrogen is extremely expensive commercial selling is close to impossible. Only one HCNG station operates in Dwarka which too is used for fuelling only a trial fleet. And so it might take almost two years before the blend is available commercially.