Daimler Truck has announced the next stage of its product development in the hydrogen fuel-cell sphere, with the next generation of trucks revealed.
Following the development and successful testing program with prototypes of its first-generation fuel-cell trucks, Daimler Truck has now unveiled the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 truck.
Representing another development milestone for Daimler Truck on its path to hydrogen transport, 100 units of these semi-trailer tractors will be manufactured and deployed from the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth from the end of this year.
The limited small-series production carries over proven components from the first-generation GenH2 truck, including the cellcentric fuel cell and liquid hydrogen technology.
In the new NextGenH2 truck, the integrated e-axle, ProCabin, Multimedia Cockpit Interactive 2 and latest safety assistance systems have been carried over from the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600.
“In addition to battery-electric solutions, hydrogen-based drives are crucial for the sustainable transformation of our industry,” Mercedes-Benz Trucks CEO Achim Puchert says.
“With the NextGenH2 Truck, we are taking the next technological step in fuel cell trucks. Together with our customers, we aim to introduce a small series with high range and near production ready technology into daily transport operations from the end of 2026.”
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While there are no plans for this technology to arrive in Australia, Daimler Truck Australia Pacific vice president of sales, marketing and operations, Andrew Assimo, says it’s exciting to see the news.
“The start of the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 production for European markets represents a major milestone for sustainable trucking,” he says.
“We have no immediate plans for its introduction in Australia, but that is certainly something we will consider as we watch its roll-out across Europe.”
The Daimler Truck model has similar capabilities to the first-generation truck, with liquid hydrogen enabling a range of more than 1,000 kilometres on a single tank filling at full load.
Using the sLH2 refuelling standard developed by Daimler Truck and Linde, the truck can be filled with liquid hydrogen within 10 to 15 minutes.
The core of the system remains the BZA150 fuel cell from cellcentric, a joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group.
The development, production and deployment of the NextGenH2 trucks is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) and the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg for a total of 226 million Euros, with series production slated for the early 2030s.