Daimler Truck has received €226 million from the German Federal Ministry and the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate for the development and deployment of 100 hydrogen fuel cell trucks.
The funding, created in-line with the European Union’s IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) Hydrogen program, intends to cover both vehicle and production-related activities.
“The approval of funding for the development and small series production of 100 fuel cell trucks is an important boost for the use of hydrogen in road freight transportation. This funding is therefore a strong signal not only for Daimler Truck but for the entire commercial vehicle industry,” said Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck.
Assembly of the next-gen trucks is set to take place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, with the vehicles expected to roll out at the end of 2026.
The trucking giant claimed that fleets with fuel cells can be a better solution especially for deployments in heavy-duty transportation and long-distance haulage.
Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice, commented on the funding.
“Daimler Truck is the first European manufacturer to produce a series-production truck that uses liquid hydrogen – and thus provide an important impulse for the commercial use of hydrogen technology in road freight transportation,” said Wissing.
In addition to the development of fuel cell trucks, the funding will reportedly be used for feasibility studies with regard to the hydrogen value chain.
As one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, Daimler Truck has committed itself to the Paris Climate Protection Agreement. The objective is to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation in global core markets (Europe, USA and Japan) by 2039.
Daimler Truck has also laid out ambitions goals for the deployment of self-driving trucks, which they mentioned in a keynote panel with Pony.ai, May Mobility and other autonomous leaders at MOVE America in September.
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