Daimler Truck has initiated customer trials of its Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks, marking a significant step in the development of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. Five prototype trucks will be deployed with customers including Air Products, Amazon, Holcim, Ineos, and Wiedmann & Winz for approximately one year of real-world testing.
The GenH2 Trucks, which use liquid hydrogen as fuel, are designed to offer performance comparable to conventional diesel trucks. They can carry a payload of around 25 tonnes with a gross combination weight of 40 tonnes. The vehicles are equipped with two liquid hydrogen tanks and a Fuel Cell system developed by cellcentric, a joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group.
The five semi-trailer tractors will be used by customers in various long-haul applications throughout the trial period. Amazon will use the GenH2 Truck in its logistics operations in Germany; Air Products for the transport of cylinder gases; Wiedmann & Winz for sea containers; Holcim for building materials logistics; and Vervaeke – the logistics partner for hydrogen producer Ineos – for PVC and vinyl transportation. The vehicles will remain under Daimler Truck’s supervision and will be refueled at designated liquid hydrogen filling stations in Germany.
Seifi Ghasemi, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, at Air Products, said: “With thousands of trucks delivering industrial gases to our customers every day, logistics is an integral part of our business. Trialing a Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck under real conditions is a critical step in our work to convert our distribution fleet to hydrogen powered vehicles.”
John Landwehr, Gerdes + Landwehr, Partner to the Holcim Group, commented: “In our bulk logistics, payload has always played a significant role in terms of CO2 footprint and efficiency. After extensive tests with battery-electric trucks, we are incredibly excited to continue testing the path to sustainable transportation of the future with a hydrogen-powered truck. Only with our own intensive experience can we make the right decisions for the change in our group starting in 2025.”
Frédéric Derumeaux, CEO of logistics firm Vervaeke, added: ”Propelling heavy trucks with liquid hydrogen is a revolutionary and decisive step forward. As a leading transportation company, we play an important role, and this unique collaboration with Ineos and Daimler Truck will help us to test truly emission-free logistics.”
The GenH2 Truck’s fuel cell system delivers 300 kilowatts, with an additional 400kW provided by a battery for peak power demands. Daimler Truck claims that liquid hydrogen enables a range of 1,000 kilometres or more, making it suitable for long-distance transportation.
Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck, stated: “When it comes to decarbonising transport, we are focusing on battery-electric and hydrogen-based drives. The transformation can only succeed if green energy is sufficiently and comprehensively available – and for this we need both technologies.
