Daimler Truck starts, after the completion of the first customer-near trials of its “Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks,” the second phase with five additional partner companies as planned. In this phase, according to a press release dated November 13, the fuel cell trucks are to be prepared for serial deployment based on real customer requirements. The companies Hornbach, Reber Logistik, Teva Deutschland with the brand ratiopharm, Rhenus and DHL Supply Chain are accordingly to progressively deploy one Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck on their regular logistics routes within Germany. The aim is not only to test cross-industry use cases and to map additional operating scenarios – rather all gained insights should flow directly into the further development of the vehicle as well as into preparatory measures for sales and service processes, according to the vehicle manufacturer.
Michael Scheib, Head of Vehicle Development Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “The best vehicles for our customers we develop together with our partners in customer-close operations: Therefore the next five companies are now testing our hydrogen-powered Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck in daily operation. Another important step on the path
to serial production – and to CO2-neutral transport with battery and hydrogen.”
Specific routes under real-world conditions
According to the press release, all five fuel cell trucks will be operated by the partners for over a year on different routes under real-world conditions in various logistics applications – from temperature-controlled pharmaceutical transport to less-than-truckload shipments in international long-haul traffic.
Katrin Hölter, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Germany & Alps:
„With the fuel cell truck in combination with our fully electric refrigerated trailer, we bring a CO2-free transport solution powered by renewable energy to the road. The deployment on routes in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and NRW shows: future-proof, sustainable logistics works today, even for sensitive deep-freeze and fresh products. Together with Daimler Truck we set standards for sustainable transport and emphasize our claim to be Green Logistics’ first choice.“
Andreas Back, Prokurist Hornbach Baumarkt AG, Wertstoff- & Abfallmanagement, Quality Management & Environment et al.:
„At Hornbach we act innovatively out of tradition, which also applies to internal circular economy. Depending on the intended use, we have long been testing different
drive systems in day-to-day operations. The Daimler Truck fuel-cell truck is another step. It will be deployed within our Wertstoffliner fleet in long-haul transport. The Wertstoffliner have been a successful model for over 10 years. With them we make an important contribution to a closed material loop.“
Liquid hydrogen in long-haul transport
The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck offers, according to the provider, as a fuel-cell truck with a gross vehicle weight of around 40 tons and a payload of about 25 tons in heavy goods transport a technology package on par with modern diesel long-haul vehicles. The fuel cell system delivers up to 300 kW of power continuously, complemented by a small additional battery to support peak loads and energy recovery during braking. The energy source is liquid hydrogen, which, according to Daimler Truck, offers advantages over gaseous hydrogen: a higher energy density enables more range per tank fill and reduced transport effort. The vehicles are refueled at designated liquid hydrogen filling stations (sLH2) in Wörth am Rhein and in the Duisburg area. In the framework of the
first practical trial, the five fuel cell trucks have already covered more than 225,000 kilometers in total. The average hydrogen consumption ranged between 5.6 kilograms and 8.0 kilograms per 100 kilometers, with an average total combined weight between 16 and 34 tons.
Next step: small-series production
Daimler Truck has, according to the company, already concurrently started the development phase for the next generation of its fuel-cell trucks. In the context of small-series production, a total of 100 tractor units will be built at the Mercedes-Benz Wörth plant and go into practical operation with various customers from the end of 2026.
In decarbonizing transport, Daimler Truck relies on a dual strategy with battery- and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The expansion of hydrogen refueling stations, however, proceeds significantly more slowly than expected, the company argues. As a result, customers in the coming years would not be able to deploy hydrogen trucks in larger numbers. Therefore, large-scale industrialization of fuel cells and the planned serial production of hydrogen-powered trucks with a focus on Europe are planned for the early 2030s, according to
