The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck prototype has successfully completed its first public high-altitude tests. During the week-long test runs, the Daimler vehicle engineers crossed the Brenner Pass with the fuel-cell semi-trailer truck carrying a normal load over the 120km route between Bolzano and Innsbruck.
The test drives were conducted in Bolzano, Italy, which is home to a hydrogen filling station owned by H2 South Tyrol. Furthermore, the geology of the surrounding area is perfect for conducting extensive performance testing of the fuel-cell system at different altitude levels.
One of the highlights of the testing, according to Daimler Trucks, was driving the tractor unit up the Penser Joch Mountain to a height of 2,211 metres. The results of this first altitude test programme on the interplay of fuel-cell and battery in difficult terrain, as well as the forward-thinking operating strategy on the Brenner road, are currently being incorporated into the series vehicle’s continued development. More hilly test drives are scheduled for next year.
The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck is being developed specifically for flexible and demanding applications in the vital heavy-duty transport and long-haul segments. A range of 1,000km or more is the development target. The series production will begin in the second half of the 2020s.
