Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Heavy Trucking

The global push to eliminate carbon emissions has reached the heavyweight champions of the road. While passenger cars are rapidly shifting toward battery power, the trucking industry faces a different set of physics and logistical hurdles. In a major move to solve this, industry giants Volvo Group and Daimler Truck have placed a significant wager on hydrogen fuel cells, aiming to revolutionize long-haul freight transport where batteries currently fall short.

The Strategic Partnership: Introducing cellcentric

The most significant development in this sector is the formation of cellcentric, a 50⁄50 joint venture between Volvo Group and Daimler Truck. Historically, these two companies have been fierce competitors in the truck market. However, they recognized that the cost and complexity of developing fuel cell technology required shared resources.

Established in 2021, cellcentric aims to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fuel-cell systems. The goal is not just research; it is large-scale series production. The venture plans to ramp up production of fuel cell systems specifically designed for heavy-duty trucks by the second half of this decade, likely around 2025 to 2027. This collaboration signals a clear industry belief that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) alone cannot handle the demands of international long-haul shipping.

The Physics of Freight: Why Hydrogen?

To understand why Volvo and Daimler are investing billions into hydrogen, you have to look at the limitations of lithium-ion batteries regarding weight and time.

The Weight Penalty

In trucking, weight is money. Regulations limit the total gross weight of a truck. Every pound of battery weight subtracts a pound from the payload (the cargo) that the hauler gets paid to move.

  • Battery limitation: To achieve a 600-mile range, a battery-electric semi-truck requires a battery pack weighing several tons. This drastically reduces the cargo capacity.
  • Hydrogen advantage: Hydrogen tanks and fuel cell stacks are lighter than the equivalent battery packs needed for long ranges. This allows haulers to maintain a payload capacity similar to traditional diesel trucks.

The Refueling Window

Time is the other critical currency in logistics.

  • Battery limitation: Even with “megawatt charging” standards currently in development, charging a massive truck battery takes significantly longer than pumping diesel. This downtime disrupts strict delivery schedules.
  • Hydrogen advantage: Refueling a hydrogen truck takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This is nearly identical to the current workflow of diesel trucks, requiring no major changes to driver schedules or logistics planning.

Real-World Testing: The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck

Daimler Truck has moved beyond theory with the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck. This prototype serves as the proof-of-concept for the cellcentric technology.

In September 2023, a prototype of the GenH2 Truck completed a record-breaking run. It covered 1,047 kilometers (approximately 650 miles) on a single fill of liquid hydrogen. The truck was fully loaded with a gross combined weight of 40 tons, simulating real-world conditions perfectly.

This test highlighted a specific technical choice Daimler is making: Liquid Hydrogen (LH2). While many competitors use gaseous hydrogen compressed at 700 bar, Daimler prefers liquid hydrogen cooled to -253 degrees Celsius.

  • Energy Density: Liquid hydrogen has a higher energy density by volume than gaseous hydrogen.
  • Tank Size: It allows for smaller, lighter tanks, freeing up more space for cargo.
  • Range: The higher density is what allows for ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers, a “magic number” in the trucking industry for viable long-haul routes.

Volvo’s Three-Pronged Strategy

While Daimler is heavily promoting the liquid hydrogen approach, Volvo Group is taking a diversified stance. They view the future of trucking as a three-path system:

  1. Battery Electric (BEV): For city distribution, refuse trucks, and regional haulage where trucks return to a depot nightly.
  2. Fuel Cell Electric (FCEV): For heavy loads and long distances where charging infrastructure is scarce or downtime is too costly.
  3. Internal Combustion (ICE): Running on renewable fuels like biogas or renewable hydrogen for specific applications where electric drivetrains are not yet feasible.

Volvo has already begun testing its own fuel cell trucks powered by cellcentric systems on public roads in Northern Sweden. These tests involve operating in extreme cold, a known challenge for battery efficiency, proving that hydrogen systems are robust enough for harsh climates.

The Infrastructure Hurdle

The technology for hydrogen trucks is maturing rapidly, but the fueling network remains the primary bottleneck. A truck that can drive 1,000 km is useless if it cannot find fuel at the destination.

To address this, Volvo and Daimler are not just building trucks; they are lobbying for and investing in infrastructure. They are part of initiatives like H2Accelerate, a collaboration aimed at enabling a mass-market roll-out of hydrogen trucking across Europe. The plan involves creating clusters of refueling stations along major trade corridors, eventually connecting them to form a pan-European network.

The cost of “green hydrogen” (hydrogen produced via electrolysis using renewable energy) is also a factor. Currently, it is more expensive than diesel. However, as carbon taxes increase on diesel and the cost of renewable energy drops, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for hydrogen trucks is expected to reach parity with diesel by roughly 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cellcentric? cellcentric is a 50⁄50 joint venture formed in 2021 by Volvo Group and Daimler Truck. Its purpose is to develop, produce, and commercialize fuel cell systems for use in heavy-duty trucks and other applications.

Why do trucks use liquid hydrogen instead of gas? Daimler advocates for liquid hydrogen (LH2) because it has a higher energy density than compressed gas. This allows the truck to carry more fuel in a smaller space, resulting in significantly longer driving ranges comparable to diesel trucks.

When will hydrogen trucks be available for purchase? Series production for heavy-duty fuel cell trucks from Volvo and Daimler is planned for the second half of the decade, likely between 2025 and 2027. Limited customer trials are already underway.

Is hydrogen safe for trucking? Yes. Hydrogen tanks are built to withstand extreme impacts, often exceeding the safety standards of diesel tanks. In the event of a leak, hydrogen rises and disperses quickly into the atmosphere, whereas liquid fuels pool on the ground and create a lingering fire hazard.

How far can a hydrogen truck drive? Current prototypes, such as the Mercedes-Benz GenH2, have demonstrated ranges of over 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) on a single tank of liquid hydrogen while fully loaded.