Daimler Truck receives a €226 million subsidy for GenH2 fuel cell trucks

The Federal Ministry of Transport, as well as the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, are promising funding of a total of 226 million euros for the development, small-series production, and customer use (operation and maintenance) of 100 hydrogen fuel cell trucks following an extensive review, including one by the EU Commission. Federal Minister of Transport Dr. Volker Wissing, together with State Minister Daniela Schmitt (Rhineland-Palatinate) and State Secretary Dr. Andre Baumann (Baden-Württemberg), presented the symbolic funding notification to Daimler Truck CEO Karin Rådström at the Daimler Truck testing and development center in Wörth am Rhein.

Application submitted in 2021

On the path to locally CO₂-neutral transport with hydrogen-based drives, Daimler Truck submitted an application in 2021 for the funding of hydrogen fuel cell trucks from a small series for long-distance use by customers. The company will now receive nearly two-thirds of the eligible share of the project's funds.

The funding project, initiated as part of the IPCEI Hydrogen Program (Important Project of Common European Interest) of the European Union, encompasses both vehicle-related and production-related activities. In addition to the development of the vehicles and the construction and operation of the hydrogen fuel cell trucks, the funds will also be used for feasibility studies regarding the hydrogen supply chain and necessary production facilities and processes in preparation for a planned series production. Important components are to be built at various German production sites and prepared for final assembly.

The involved sites include the Kassel plant (electric drive axle) and Mannheim ("Tech-Tower"). The fuel cells are to come from the pilot production of cellcentric in Esslingen and will be assembled into a fuel cell system at the Gaggenau plant. The assembly of the semitrailer trucks, further developed based on the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, is to take place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, and the vehicles are expected to go into practical operation with various customers starting from the end of 2026.

Range of 1,000 km and more

The European Commission considered the use of liquid hydrogen technology in this project as globally unique at an early stage, which was positively highlighted during the evaluation process under the IPCEI criteria. This energy carrier has a significantly higher energy density in this aggregate state compared to gaseous hydrogen. As a result, more hydrogen can be transported, which significantly increases the range and enables comparable performance to a conventional diesel truck. Additionally, the transportation effort of liquid hydrogen can be significantly reduced, and liquid hydrogen tanks offer advantages over gaseous compressed hydrogen in terms of costs and weight. The use of liquid hydrogen, among other things, allows for a higher payload. In September 2023, a GenH2 Truck prototype approved for public roads completed the #HydrogenRecordRun and covered 1,047 km with a tank full of liquid hydrogen on board. The fuel cell trucks supported within the framework of IPCEI are to be deployed to customers using liquid hydrogen technology.

Small series part of extensive testing

A non-binding prospect of funding in 2022 allowed Daimler Truck to initiate measures early. In this context, the first prototypes of the fuel cell truck were built. Currently, five companies are using the opportunity to gain initial experience in local CO₂-free long-distance transport with fuel cell vehicles. The semitrailer trucks are deployed in specific routes in various applications in long-distance transport in Germany and are refueled at the newly opened liquid hydrogen station (sLH2) in Wörth am Rhein as well as at a station in the Duisburg area.

Vehicle Delivery Starting End of 2026

Starting presumably at the end of 2026, the 100 IPCEI-funded fuel cell trucks are expected to be delivered to customers. For a transformation towards freight transport with hydrogen propulsion to succeed, it will be crucial in the coming years to establish a comprehensive refueling infrastructure and a globally sufficient supply of green and affordable liquid hydrogen.

Daimler Truck Pursues Dual Strategy

As one of the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, Daimler Truck is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. The goal is to offer only CO₂-neutral new vehicles in global core markets (Europe, USA, Japan) in driving operation by 2039. To achieve this, the Daimler Group plans to bring battery-electric trucks like the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 and fuel cell trucks to the road.