Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, Toyota Motor Corporation, Bosch, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, TEAL Mobility, and MB Energy have presented a joint plan at IAA Transportation to scale hydrogen trucks across Europe, built on a German framework the partners say now supports deployment at scale by 2030. The companies describe Germany as the first market in Europe to have every condition in place for a hydrogen truck rollout, and they are asking national governments and the European Commission to replicate that model across the continent. Daimler Truck plans to place 100 next-generation fuel cell trucks with customers from the end of 2026, according to the joint announcement published by Toyota. The plan spans vehicles, hydrogen supply, and refueling infrastructure.
Highlights
- Daimler Truck customers have driven nearly 373,000 miles (600,000 km) in fuel cell trucks, and 100 next-generation units enter customer operations from the end of 2026
- Bosch reports its fuel cell system has accumulated more than 18.6 million miles (30 million km) on the road
- Infrastructure partners are working toward refueling stations able to serve up to 100 trucks per day
- Germany’s NOW funding program drew oversubscribed applications covering more than 70 high-capacity stations and 800 heavy-duty trucks
Vehicle Commitments From the Truck Makers and Suppliers
The partners frame hydrogen as a complement to battery-electric trucks in meeting the EU’s decarbonization targets, aimed at duty cycles that require long range, high payload, rapid refueling, and operational flexibility.
Daimler Truck is moving from trials to a small series. Beyond the 100 next-generation fuel cell trucks entering customer operations from the end of 2026, the company says its first hydrogen combustion engine trucks are being prepared for market launch next year. Daimler Truck reports it is investing a mid-three-digit million euro amount in hydrogen trucks through the end of the decade.
Volvo Group says it is advancing both fuel cell and hydrogen combustion trucks for market rollout toward 2030, backed by what the release calls significant investment in hydrogen power solutions.
Toyota will act as a technology partner, drawing on more than 30 years of fuel cell system development and supply. Bosch is supplying key vehicle components for gaseous hydrogen alongside refueling technologies for both liquid and gaseous hydrogen.
Hydrogen Supply and Refueling Infrastructure
On the energy side, Volvo Group and Daimler Truck are working with Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, and MB Energy as hydrogen suppliers, and with MB Energy and TEAL Mobility as retail operators. TEAL Mobility is a 50/50 joint venture between TotalEnergies and Air Liquide that operates under the TotalEnergies brand.
These partners say they are mobilizing capacity to scale both liquid and gaseous hydrogen supply chains. Their infrastructure investments target large-capacity, high-throughput stations able to refuel up to 100 trucks per day. The companies also point to synergies with growing industrial renewable hydrogen production driven by implementation of the European RED III directive.
How Does Germany Make Hydrogen Trucks Cost-Competitive With Diesel?
The partners identify diesel-competitive cost as the threshold for fleet adoption, and they credit the combination of German government policy and industrial collaboration with three levers:
- Lower truck cost through incentives and series production
- Diesel-competitive pump prices through a more competitive hydrogen supply chain and greenhouse gas quota mechanisms
- Operating incentives such as zero-emission toll exemptions for fleet operators
The companies cite Germany’s NOW funding program as evidence of commercial pull. Recent applications were oversubscribed, with industrial companies applying for more than 70 high-capacity stations and 800 heavy-duty trucks.
Call for EU-Wide Measures
With Germany positioned as the operational launchpad, the eight companies are calling for measures at the national and European Commission level to replicate the model at continental scale. The requested measures include:
- Synchronized funding calls for refueling stations and vehicles to meet Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) targets
- Harmonized renewable fuel credit mechanisms and toll incentives to strengthen hydrogen’s commercial viability
- Joint de-risking of the value chain, from production and liquefaction through distribution and vehicle operation
The partners argue this pairing of industrial execution with a policy framework is the foundation for scaling zero-emission freight while supporting Europe’s industrial competitiveness, energy resilience, and employment.
