MAN Truck & Bus launches hydrogen fuel‑cell trucks in Bavaria

The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs has funded the final phase of the Bayernflotte project, in which MAN Truck & Bus delivered three fuel‑cell trucks to LoadFox Transport Solutions GmbH. The trucks, equipped with Bosch fuel‑cell systems, ZF electric axles and Forvia 700‑bar hydrogen tanks, will operate for three months on regular logistics routes between Munich, Dachau, Nuremberg and other locations in southern Germany. They are designed for a range of 450‑500 km, consume about 7‑8 kg of hydrogen per 100 km, and carry up to 42 t gross vehicle weight.

At a climate colloquium in Bodenheim, former Mainz official Volker Hans explained that hydrogen can complement electricity in hard‑to‑electrify sectors such as cement, steel, glass and paper production. He cited local examples: Mainzer Schott AG’s hydrogen‑fueled glass melting and Essity’s paper plant in Mainz‑Kostheim, which aim to cut tens of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ annually. Hans stressed that large‑scale deployment will require years to build production capacity, transport infrastructure and storage, but that targeted use of green hydrogen can help meet Germany’s climate goals.