Daimler Truck and the energy company TotalEnergies today agreed to work together on the development of a hydrogen infrastructure for heavy trucks in order to demonstrate the possible advantages of road freight transport based on hydrogen.
The aim is to cooperate with the H2-Logistics, the delivery of gas stations with H2, as well as the development of hydrogen-powered trucks. A base of end customers is also to be built up who keep such vehicles in daily use in real haulage companies.
To this end, TotalEnergies wants a network of up to 150 H by 20302– Set up and operate petrol stations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. TotalEnergies already operates 24 hydrogen filling stations in Germany as part of the “H2 Mobility” joint venture. Daimler Truck has announced that it will deliver fuel cell trucks to customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France by 2025 and ensure that the vehicles will operate competitively. With its Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, Daimler Truck is already testing a near-series prototype on public roads in Germany and plans to deliver the first series vehicles from 2027.
The European Union should provide the legal framework
In order to build up competitive freight transport using hydrogen as an energy carrier, there are still obstacles to be overcome on the cost and technical side. Therefore, both companies want to work on reducing the total operating costs of a hydrogen truck and are calling for a new legal framework within the European Union that is necessary for this.
Daimler Truck and TotalEnergies already worked together as members of the “H2Accelerate” interest group on the introduction of hydrogen-powered transport in Europe. The truck manufacturer Iveco, the energy company OMV and the truck manufacturer Volvo Trucks are also lobbying in this consortium.
(fpi)
