HC moved to add hydrogen fuel vehicles in Centre's FAME scheme

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking expansion of the scope of Central government's Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme to also include electric vehicles which use hydrogen as fuel.

The plea, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar, stated that electric vehicles are not limited to those vehicles which are exclusively operated by batteries, but also include fuel cell electric vehicles which are operated using hydrogen as fuel.

The petitioner said that the primary objectives of the FAME schemes are to reduce the dependence on petroleum resources, counter the impact of internal combustion engine vehicles on the environment, and keep pace with the gradual shift of the automobile industry towards alternate fuels, including electric vehicles.

"The FAME India schemes do not specifically distinguish between electric vehicles by way of their battery operation or hydrogen fuel cell operation but only fail to include the electric vehicles driven by hydrogen fuel cells within the ambit of the scheme," the plea stated.

He said that in the global technological sphere, the advancements in hydrogen energy infrastructure and utilities are moving ahead in an accelerated manner and if India does not adapt quickly to these developments, then it will lose out on its chance to become a global clean energy giant.

The plea filed is likely to come up for hearing before a division bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh on Friday.