Industrial giants partner to expand European hydrogen heavy-duty vehicle ecosystem

A coalition of major industrial and energy companies, including Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Toyota Motor Corporation, Bosch, Air Liquide, and TotalEnergies, has announced a joint initiative to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles in Europe. The project aims to develop a concentrated hydrogen ecosystem, initially centered in Germany, to address the simultaneous need for vehicle availability, fuel supply, and refueling infrastructure.

The initiative covers both fuel cell technology and hydrogen combustion engines. Daimler Truck reported that its customers have already logged nearly 600,000 kilometers with its fuel cell trucks, with plans to introduce a small series of 100 next-generation fuel cell trucks by the end of 2026. The company also expects to introduce hydrogen combustion engine trucks in 2027. Volvo Group is targeting market entry for similar technologies around 2030, while Toyota will contribute technological expertise in fuel cells.

In Germany, this industrial push supports local developments, such as Cellcentric’s plans to build a fuel cell factory in Weilheim/Teck. Coordinating the entire value chain is viewed by the participating companies as essential for making hydrogen vehicles commercially viable for long-haul, high-payload transport.