With more than 100 public hydrogen refuelling stations, Germany is at the forefront of Europe’s transition to hydrogen-powered mobility. What’s more, the infrastructure is being expanded - by 2030, the country must have hydrogen refuelling stations every 200kms along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) strategic road corridors.
Germany’s hydrogen refuelling network has developed over the past two decades, starting with early demonstration projects in the 2000s. Expansion accelerated in the 2010s with government-backed initiatives to support fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure.
H2 MOBILITY, a joint venture formed in 2015 by Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV, Shell and TotalEnergies, has been a key driver in the rollout of public hydrogen refuelling stations across the country. The project company initially raised €50 million to build a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Germany’s metropolitan areas and major logistics corridors. However, in just 7 years, the company transformed itself into a long-term, commercial enterprise, securing €110 million to support the expansion of large hydrogen refuelling stations tailored for buses and trucks.
Today, it operates 68 stations with 700 bar capacity, while additional refuelling stations are being developed by industrial gas companies and other operators, bringing the total number of stations to over 80.
But who uses these refuelling stations? According to NOW, the German National Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, on 1 October 2024 there were 226 medium and heavy-duty vehicles, 119 buses and 2,048 hydrogen-powered cars registered in the country.
While the lack of refuelling infrastructure is often seen as a barrier to the adoption of zero-emission trucks, cost is another critical factor. Hydrogen is widely regarded as expensive, raising the question of how it compares to conventional fuels in Germany.
At the time of writing, the price of hydrogen in Germany ranged from €12.85/kg in Rostock to €19.25/kg in Handewitt, with most locations averaging around €18.25 (£15.28).
For comparison, diesel prices averaged €1.7 per litre (£1.42ppl), according to ADAC, Germany’s largest automobile association. What does this means for refuelling costs?
A 40-tonne diesel truck consumes approximately 35 litres per 100km. So for a 500km journey, it burns 175 litres of diesel. At €1.7 per litre, the cost is €297 (£250).
A comparable hydrogen truck consumes 8kg of hydrogen per 100km. So for the same 500km journey, it requires 40kg of hydrogen. Refuelling costs vary by location and at Rostock the cost if €514 (£431) and at Handewitt it would be €770 (£646).
Safe to say, the difference is significant.
At least refuelling a truck with hydrogen is fast; according to H2 Mobility, a hydrogen truck can be refuelled in about 10 to 15 minutes, comparable to a diesel truck.
In addition, the PRHYDE project is developing advanced refuelling protocols for higher flow rates. These protocols aim to handle on-board storage systems of up to 100kg, making refuelling faster and more reliable for long-haul operations.
With hydrogen consumption for hydrogen trucks is estimated at 7kg to 8 kg per 100km, and most tanks designed to hold at least 40kg of hydrogen, a range of 500km or more is possible.
However, new technologies such as sub-cooled liquid hydrogen (sLH2) and cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH2) promise higher on-board storage capacities and longer ranges for long-haul trucks. These technologies are still in the early stages of development, but have the potential to transform the efficiency and feasibility of hydrogen logistics.
To support hauliers in transitioning to hydrogen-powered trucks, Germany has established several funding programs and incentives. The Klimafreundliche Nutzfahrzeuge und Infrastruktur (Climate-friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure) programme is a key initiative under which operators can receive subsidies for purchasing zero-emission trucks, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
This covers up to 80% of the additional cost compared to a conventional diesel truck, significantly lowering the financial burden for fleet operators.
Hydrogen-powered trucks also benefit from road toll exemptions. Under the German toll exemption scheme for zero-emission trucks, hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles are exempt from Lkw-Maut (truck tolls) until the end of 2025, offering hauliers significant cost savings on long-haul routes
Even so, the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) admits that challenges remain. Simone Nieke, spokesperson for the BMVD, acknowledges the “chicken and egg” problem: without enough hydrogen vehicles, stations struggle to achieve financial viability, and without sufficient infrastructure, fleet operators are hesitant to adopt hydrogen trucks.
Additionally, the total cost of ownership for hydrogen vehicles remains higher than diesel alternatives. Nieke told Freight Carbon Zero: “Vehicle prices, production costs of green hydrogen, transport costs to the refuelling station and HRS operating costs must be reduced.
“At the same time, hydrogen offers solutions for certain applications that battery-electric vehicles cannot offer. This means that fleets that would otherwise remain dependent on diesel vehicles can also be decarbonised.”
