Daimler Truck has been awarded €226 million from German federal and state governments to develop and deploy 100 fuel cell trucks, marking a significant step towards decarbonising commercial transportation.
The funding, approved by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, is part of the European Union’s Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hydrogen programme.
Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, called the funding “an important boost for the use of hydrogen in road freight transportation”, highlighting its significance for the commercial vehicle industry.
- The fuel cCell trucks will be manufactured at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth
- First trucks are expected to enter customer operations by late 2026
- The project involves developing vehicles and preparing production facilities
Federal Transport Minister Dr Volker Wissing emphasised the project’s importance: “Sustainable transportation with hydrogen-powered trucks is already possible today.”
The trucks will utilise liquid hydrogen technology, which enables a range of over 1,000km per tank. In September 2023, a prototype completed a record run covering 1,047km on a single hydrogen fill.
Daimler Truck is pursuing a dual-track approach, developing both hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric vehicles. The company aims to offer only CO2-neutral vehicles in its core markets by 2039.
However, the success of hydrogen transportation depends on developing international refuelling infrastructure and ensuring a supply of cost-competitive green hydrogen.
Five prototype trucks are currently undergoing customer trials, operating on specific routes in Germany and refuelling at two liquid hydrogen stations.
