Daimler Truck starts customer trials with the H2 hydrogen truck and tests the Unimog with hydrogen ICE

Daimler Truck keeps working on the development of hydrogen-powered trucks. The global group is indeed working on more than one side, testing either fuel cell electric commercial vehicles and truck with ICE powered on hydrogen.

By mid-2024, some major customer companies are expected to start trials with the H2 hydrogen truck, whose commercialization will begin in 2027, according to Daimler Truck’s plans. Amazon, Air Products, INEOS, Holcim and Wiedmann & Winz are the first names spread by the German manufacturer, with five semi-trailer tractors will be deployed in different long-haul applications in Germany. The project follows a rigorous testing phase on the test track and on public roads.

Daimler Truck and hydrogen: where the vehicles will be refuelled

During these first customer trials the GenH2 Trucks remain under the direct supervision and responsibility of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. The vehicles will be refueled at designated public liquid hydrogen filling stations (sLH2) in Wörth am Rhein and in the Duisburg area.

“With this first customer fleet, our fuel-cell trucks are now being tested in real customer operation. A win-win situation for both sides: our customers get to know fuel-cell technology in daily real-life operation and our engineering team gets to better understand customer needs and relevant use cases, taking them into account for series development”, commented Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, responsible for Truck Technology.

The project with Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks’ Unimog vehicle

Additionally, Daimler Truck’s brand Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has developed a Mercedes-Benz Unimog prototype equipped with hydrogen-powered ICE. The Unimog is a test vehicle that is used to research the conditions under which hydrogen combustion can be implemented as a supplement to battery-electric and fuel-cell-based drives. On a decommissioned section of the highway between Bayreuth and Bamberg, engineers collected measurement data when mowing the verge, accelerating and refueling at a public gas station.

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog test vehicle is based on the Unimog U 430 implement carrier. A specially converted natural gas engine with tank, safety and monitoring systems as well as measurement technology is installed for the alternative hydrogen technology drive. Hydrogen combustion in the engine compartment produces water, which is discharged as steam via the exhaust system. The wheelbase and platform length are dimensioned so that the hydrogen tanks can be installed behind the cab.