- Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Toyota, Bosch, and energy companies unveiled plans to accelerate hydrogen-powered vehicle deployment across Europe.
- The German ecosystem has established conditions for scalable hydrogen truck deployment by 2030, supported by authorities and industrial leaders.
- Industry leaders called for aligned support from national governments and the European Commission to scale these solutions continent-wide.
LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN/HANOVER, Germany — Industry leaders today unveiled plans to accelerate the rollout of hydrogen-powered vehicles across Europe.
Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Toyota Motor Corporation, Bosch, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, TEAL Mobility, and MB Energy detailed their strategy at IAA Transportation, Daimler Truck said in an emailed press release today. The German ecosystem has established conditions for scalable deployment of hydrogen trucks by 2030, supported by German authorities and European industrial leaders.
Hydrogen Mobility Expansion
The companies aim to scale CO2-free transport by building on the German deployment model. They called for aligned support from national governments and the European Commission to replicate this model across the continent. This initiative seeks to ensure long-term energy resilience and competitiveness.
Industry leaders believe hydrogen complements battery-electric vehicles in achieving EU decarbonization targets. They are addressing historical bottlenecks for truck operations requiring long range, high payload capacity, rapid refueling, and operational flexibility.
Technology and Investment
Daimler Truck customers have driven nearly 600,000 kilometers with fuel cell trucks. The company plans to deploy a small series of 100 next-generation fuel cell trucks into customer operations from late 2026. Hydrogen combustion engine trucks are also being prepared for market launch next year. Daimler Truck is investing a mid-three-digit million euro amount in hydrogen trucks by the end of the decade.
Volvo Group is advancing its hydrogen portfolio with significant investments in both fuel-cell and hydrogen-combustion trucks for market rollout by 2030. Toyota will support hydrogen mobility expansion as a technology partner, leveraging its expertise in fuel cell systems. Bosch is supplying key vehicle components for gaseous hydrogen, including its fuel cell system, and refueling technologies for both liquid and gaseous hydrogen.
Infrastructure and Supply
Volvo Group and Daimler Truck are collaborating with energy companies and hydrogen suppliers like Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, and MB Energy. Retail operators such as MB Energy and TEAL Mobility are also involved. These partners are mobilizing resources to scale both liquid and gaseous hydrogen supply chains.
Infrastructure investments are advancing toward large-capacity, high-throughput refueling stations capable of refueling up to 100 trucks per day. The companies are also leveraging synergies with industrial renewable hydrogen production, driven by the European RED III directive.
Achieving Competitiveness
Achieving cost competitiveness with diesel is crucial for fleet operators to adopt hydrogen. The strategy combines German government policies with industrial collaboration through three levers:
- Lowering truck costs through incentives and series production.
- Reaching diesel-competitive hydrogen pump prices via a more competitive hydrogen supply chain and Greenhouse Gas quota mechanisms.
- Offering operating incentives, such as zero-emission toll exemptions for fleet operators.
Recent applications under Germany's NOW funding program were oversubscribed, with over 70 high-capacity stations and 800 heavy-duty trucks applied for by industrial companies. This indicates strong commercial demand from the logistics sector.
Call for European Support
The industry leaders are calling for strategic measures from national governments and the European Commission to scale the German model continent-wide. These measures include synchronized funding calls for refueling stations and vehicles to meet Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) targets. They also seek pragmatic, harmonized renewable fuel credit mechanisms and toll incentives to strengthen hydrogen's commercial viability. Joint de-risking of the entire value chain, from production to vehicle operation, is also a priority.