Global truck manufacturer Daimler Truck has announced that it is building a first customer-trial fleet of Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks  powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Amazon, Air Products, INEOS, Holcim and Wiedmann & Winz will take part in first customer trials to gain initial experience in CO2-free long-distance transport with the fuel-cell trucks.

The planned launch of customer trials follows a commitment set by Daimler Truck in 2020 to significantly invest in hydrogen technology, forming part of the company’s objective to offer CO2-neutral driving vehicles in its core markets by 2039.  While battery electric vehicles are an effective solution for some transport applications, such as shorter range routes, or those with available charging options, with the ability to use hydrogen to produce their own electricity, fuel cell trucks are particularly suitable for long-haul applications in areas where battery charging infrastructure may be limited, such as rural settings.

In 2021, Daimler and Volvo launched “Cellcentric,” a joint venture aimed at building one of Europe’s largest planned series production of fuel-cell systems, which are used to power the GenH2 trucks. Daimler produced its first GenH2 prototype in 2021, and the company recently completed a 1,047 km demonstration of the GenH2. Daimler said that it aims to introduce the series version of the truck in the second half of the decade.

Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, responsible for Truck Technology said:

“With this first customer fleet, our fuel-cell trucks are now being tested in real customer operation. A win-win situation for both sides: our customers get to know fuel-cell technology in daily real-life operation and our engineering team gets to better understand customer needs and relevant use cases, taking them into account for series development.”

Expected to start in mid-2024, the five semi-trailer tractors will be deployed in different long-haul applications on specific routes in Germany, such as the transport of building materials, sea containers or cylinder gases. During these first customer trials the GenH2 Trucks will remain under the direct supervision and responsibility of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

The vehicles will be refueled at designated public liquid hydrogen filling stations that offer a new refueling process for liquid hydrogen which enables high energy density and lower transport costs. But a greater build-up of an international refueling infrastructure with a sufficient supply of green liquid hydrogen will be necessary for a transition to hydrogen fuel cells for commercial trucking, the company said.

Andreas Marschner, Vice President, Amazon Transportation Services said:

“Amazon is continuously working towards becoming carbon neutral by 2040. The decarbonization of our transport network plays a crucial role in achieving this milestone. All logistics stakeholders – from manufacturers to energy companies and operators – must therefore continue to invest, experiment and innovate. We look forward to participating in this pilot project and learning from it.”