Girish Wagh Says Tata Truck Business Will Stay Technology Agnostic

By Jony Shekhawat | Published Date : January 21, 2026

Tata Motors is preparing its commercial vehicle business for a cleaner future by keeping multiple fuel technologies like CNG, electric, LNG and hydrogen in focus.

Tata Motors is slowly preparing its commercial vehicle business for a multi-fuel future. The company is not fully dependent on one fuel only. Instead, Tata Motors wants to move ahead with many options like CNG, LNG, electric truck, hydrogen and biofuels. This was shared by Girish Wagh, MD & CEO of Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles.

According to him, even Europe has decided that future mobility will be technology agnostic. No single fuel will rule. Tata commercial vehicles is also getting ready in the same way for India. The idea is simple – different trucks and buses will need different fuel solutions.

Decarbonisation With CNG

Table of Contents

1. Decarbonisation With CNG

2. Electric Trucks Strong in Closed-Loop Operations

3. Good LNG Trucks With Weak Infrastructure

4. Hydrogen Seen as Future Zero-Emission Fuel

5. Multiple Fuels, One Clear Direction

Also Read: Ashok Leyland Expands Product Range in Indian CV Market

CNG is the fastest solution to reduce emissions from trucks and buses. Girish Wagh said gaseous fuel will remain important for many years, especially for long-haul routes and vehicles running for high utilisation.

For Tata truck customers, CNG offers lower running cost and better availability today. Tata Motors plans to offer a wide CNG range, from Tata mini truck models for city delivery to bigger Tata truck and bus segments. He clearly said that the decarbonisation journey for commercial vehicles has to start with gaseous fuels.

Electric Trucks Strong in Closed-Loop Operations

Electric vehicles are another major focus area. Tata Motors sees strong use cases for electric truck and electric bus operations where routes are fixed and charging is easy to manage. These include ports, mines, city logistics, industrial areas and e-commerce hubs.

Recently, Tata Motors expanded its electric portfolio under the Tata Trucks.EV brand. The company launched Ultra EV trucks in 7, 9 and 12-tonne categories along with the Prima E.55S heavy electric truck. These vehicles are built on the new I-MOEV architecture and target applications like construction, mining, ports and cargo movement.

Good LNG Trucks With Weak Infrastructure

For heavy and long-distance transport, LNG trucks are considered suitable. However, LNG adoption in India is still slow. Wagh said the two main problems are lack of infrastructure and fuel pressure issues at LNG stations. Due to this, trucks cannot load full fuel, which affects real-world range.

Tata Motors is still running LNG trucks and working with fuel infrastructure companies to improve the situation. He mentioned China, where almost 40–50% of trucks run on LNG because fuel supply is secured. India needs similar long-term LNG access.

To stay ready, Tata Motors has already developed CNG engines that are LNG-ready, so the company does not fall behind in the transition.

Hydrogen Seen as Future Zero-Emission Fuel

Hydrogen is seen as the long-term solution for zero emissions. Tata Motors is currently conducting hydrogen truck trials with Indian Oil. These trials are helping the company understand cost, fuel quality and engineering challenges.

Wagh said hydrogen will become practical only when prices fall to around $2.5 per kg. Fuel purity is a big issue for fuel-cell vehicles, while hydrogen ICE trucks can manage slightly lower purity. Engineering challenges like hydrogen embrittlement are also being worked on by Tata engineers.

Multiple Fuels, One Clear Direction

Overall, Tata Motors’ strategy is clear. Whether it is a Tata mini truck, an electric truck, or a pickup truck, the company will offer multiple fuel choices. Instead of betting on one technology, Tata Motors wants to give flexibility to customers based on route, load and cost.

This multi-fuel, technology-agnostic approach is expected to shape the future of Tata Motors’ commercial vehicle business in India.

Also Read: Tata Plans Major E-Bus Deal, Avoids Price Competition

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Frequently Asked Questions on Commercial Vehicles

Q1. What fuel is Tata Motors focusing on first for decarbonisation?

Ans. Tata Motors sees CNG as the first and most practical step to reduce emissions in commercial vehicles, especially for high-usage and long-haul operations.

Q2. Where does Tata Motors see strong use for electric trucks?

Ans. Electric trucks are best suited for closed-loop operations like ports, mines, city logistics, industrial corridors and e-commerce delivery routes.

Q3. Why are LNG trucks not growing fast in India?

Ans. LNG trucks face challenges due to limited refuelling infrastructure and fuel pressure issues at stations, which reduce real-world driving range.

Q4. Is Tata Motors working on hydrogen-powered trucks?

Ans. Yes, Tata Motors is running hydrogen truck trials with Indian Oil to study cost, fuel quality, engineering challenges and long-term commercial viability.

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